Home Biologists discover electric bacteria that eat pure electrons rather than sugar, redefining the tenacity of life
 

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Biologists discover electric bacteria that eat pure electrons rather than sugar, redefining the tenacity of life

2014-07-18 14:51:18| Extremetech

Some intrepid biologists at the University of Southern California (USC) have discovered bacteria that survives on nothing but electricity -- rather than food, they eat and excrete pure electrons. These bacteria yet again prove the almost miraculous tenacity of life -- but, from a technology standpoint, they might also prove to be useful in enabling the creation of self-powered nanoscale devices that clean up pollution. Some of these bacteria also have the curious ability to form into "biocables" that are centimeters long, and conduct electricity as well as copper wires -- a capability that might one day be tapped to build long, self-assembling subsurface networks for human use.

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