Innovative Light-Driven Enzymatic Biosystem for the Synthesis of Natural Terpenoids

In a recent study, researchers from China have developed a light-driven in vitro enzymatic system to produce α-farnesene, a useful natural terpenoid, from methanol. By optimizing and coupling thirteen biocatalytic reactions, and using natural thylakoid membranes, they achieved a significant α-farnesene production using methanol and glycolaldehyde as source materials.

Harnessing Plant Molecules to Harvest Solar Energy

ROCKVILLE, MD – Our current solar panels aren’t very efficient; they are only able to convert up to about 20 percent of the sun’s energy into electricity. As a result, to generate a lot of electricity, the panels require a lot of space—sometimes leading forests to be cut down or farms to be replaced by solar.

Energy storage expert up for comments on chemistry Nobel Prize, Li-ion batteries

MOSCOW (MIPT) — Following the Wednesday announcement of this year’s Nobel laureates in chemistry, we talked to Dmitry Semenenko, who heads the Energy Storage Lab at MIPT’s Institute of Arctic Technology. He is available to comment on lithium-ion batteries and…

Scientists Discover Key Factors in How Some Algae Absorb Solar Energy

Scientists have discovered how diatoms – a type of algae that produces 20 percent of the Earth’s oxygen – absorb solar energy for photosynthesis. The Rutgers University-led discovery, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could help lead to more efficient and affordable algae-based biofuels and combat climate change from fossil fuel burning.