Recently, scientists have discovered that bacteria can conduct electricity along tiny wires. Researchers found that in places with little oxygen, deep-sea bacteria would grow protein nanowires in order to obtain oxygen. Then the bacteria would share electrons, their way of breathing, by connecting their wires. Scientists think that bacterial nanowires carry electrons, but are having a hard time creating instruments that could measure the current without destroying the wires. Researchers found that wired-up communities of Shewanella bacteria can act like circuits. To capture the electricity to be used, an electrode surface would be needed.
The experiment in this article is an example of hypothesis-based science. This is because researchers tested how bacteria would act when placed in environments with little oxygen. Researchers led by Mohamed El-Naggar of the University of Southern California also tested to see if bacteria can act as circuits. The importance of this experiment is that one day we could use bacteria as a source of electricity. For example, bacteria in sewage could one day help power treatment facilities.
By: Marissa Cevallos. Science News, November 6, 2010, pg. 8.
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