The first electric strain discovered in 2013: Geobacter. (Photo courtesy of Derek Lovely/UMAss Amherst)
If you thought the discovery of fungus able to use ionizing radiation for food was surprising, this new discovery will blow your mind. A team led by Dr. Kenneth Nealson of the University of Southern California recently found that at least 8 species of bacteria live directly from electrical energy: the flow of electrons.
Although the surprise is not that great, because all forms of energy generation are ultimately simply a reshuffling of electrons down a chain of carrier molecules;
“Life’s very clever, it figures out how to suck electrons out of everything we eat and keep them under control.” said Nealson
While we have to use molecules in-between to maximize the use of electrons and shield our systems, these bacteria simply “cut out the middleman.”
This shows that last year’s discovery of Geobacter (pictured to the right) was no fluke, but instead indicates a whole new undiscovered family of bacteria.
The video shows the electron-eating bacteria searching for energy; their “wires” tightening and becoming straight when it is found. This opens the door to new biological batteries, and a whole new world of biological batteries.