Bugs Could Be Key to Kicking Oil Addiction

AP Biotechnology ^ | Sunday February 12, 1:42 pm ET | Paul Elias,

[Dark Skies]

My understanding is that ethanol made from sources like corn and sugar actually costs more to produce than its worth as fuel.

IIRC, Brazil produces 160,000 NET oil barrel equivalents of ethanol per day from sugar cane and plans to become energy independent mid-2006.

[wouldntbprudent]

Interesting (seriesly), but can't resist asking if this stuff will work in my flying car??

[festus]

The keys to kicking oil addiction are lowering the mass of vehicles per person transported, lowering the number of people transported and the number of miles they travel.

---

Only if you're a liberal. Otherwise you work on new sources and let the people do whatever they want.

[festus]

Anytime you can drink your cars fuel life is good.

[ExcursionGuy84]

Hunt sum wabbits fowh Jimmwee Ka-tah too.

[AntiGuv]

FutureTechPing!

An emergent technologies list covering biomedical research, fusion power, nanotech, AI robotics, and other related fields. FReepmail to join or drop.

[ExcursionGuy84]

There is so much waste material available

*cough*BIGDIG*cough*TeddyKennedy*cough*

[Chanticleer]

As I said, I'm no expert. I've hung out on some FR threads where people had some very convincing arguments against ethanol -- as well as quite a few pro-ethanol. They get quite feisty! I used to think it was a no-brainer -- now, I think the issue is more complicated.

But even if alcohol is a great fuel alternative, to produce it more cheaply from secondary sources (corn cobs instead of corn, hay, etc.) would make things even better, wouldn't it?

[Trampled by Lambs]

This is OUTRAGEOUS! These defenseless bugs are kept in tiny cages with no freedom of movement. They are force fed and given hormones to fatten them up.

Fight factory bug farms - buy Free range bug fuel only!

- BIFF (Bug & Insect Freedom Front)

/PETA

[printhead]

And then there's http://dogbegone.com/ for the not so weak of heart.

[VOA]

bump

[Chanticleer]

Was that Bill Murray in the video?

[PatrickHenry]

BUGS!

[Robert A Cook PE]

Horror/disaster book out a few years ago about "biologics" that were designed to eat the oil spill residue.

Got out of control/mutated once they were released to clean up an oil spill off of CA's coast, and were found to be able to eat ANY form of rubber/plastic/poly-based organic compound. Windshield wipers, lube oil, rubber seals around airplane windshields, gaskets, pumps, seals, hoses, springs, clamps, ......

So, the nation and world was reduced to mid-1800's technology, since nothing more recent could operate.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Put a 4x9 sheet of plywood in your Beetle or econo-car, a couple of 100 lb bags of concrete in the trunk, and a few 12 foot long 2x12's tied on top.

And tools.

And a few helpers.

[Vince Ferrer]

This issue is fascinating from many angles, Environmentalism/Capitalism, Genetically modified organisms/ecology, and evolution/design.

While this is the only line of research that will turn ethanol into a productive alternative to oil, it has real and serious dangers to the environment if done improperly.

This kind of thing has been done before, and the research was stopped for pretty good environmental reasons. This method should be limited to recreating the enzymes and the digestive process, not genetically modifying whole organisms. If this can be done safely, and in commercial quantities, I'm all for it, including government research and funding.

[grey_whiskers]

My understanding is that ethanol made from sources like corn and sugar actually costs more to produce than its worth as fuel.

This is why companies such as Archer Daniels Midland and Cargill are pushing ethanol fuel so hard :-)

Anti-greedy corporation-masquerading-as-environmentalists Sarcasm Torpedo ARMED. FIRE!!

"This is how Cargill works with customers." [Cue to Animal Planet video of a hungry croc emerging from the river to pull a single zebra out of the herd down for lunch...]

Cheers!

[Dark Skies]

I not a real expert either and I also have noticed some heated arguments before (one has to wonder why we can't capture that heat).

I have been keeping an eye on Brazil and I can't imagine they are going to switch to an ethanol economy if it doesn't have an economic foundation vis-a-vis oil. But what do I know?

[llevrok]

There is so much waste material available *cough*BIGDIG*cough*TeddyKennedy*cough*

Uncle Teddy's girth alone would light Cleveland for a week!

[GreenFreeper]

bug-PING!

FReepmail me to be added or removed to the bug-PING list!

Something smells a little fishy here to me too. Sounds almost like one of those "once in a lifetime" stock opportunities that come through the rax machines daily.