The Microscopic Gas Tank

Discover how engineering microbes for fuel, like E. coli, could revolutionize fuel production. Insights from James Liao at UCLA.

Written byCarl Zimmer
| 1 min read
Google NewsGoogle News Preferred Source

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

Could E. coli some day take the place of deep sea oil wells? In my latest podcast I talk to James Liao of UCLA about engineering microbes to churn out high-performance fuel. Check it out.

Meet the Author

More on Discover
diverse purple and white flowers in a field
Plants Are Constantly Communicating, and Biodiversity Shapes the Message
black and brown dog looking up at the camera
Your Dog Can Likely Recognize Your Face in a Photo — Here's How We Know
Walking shark, Hemiscyllium ocellatum, sits on the sea floor.
Walking Sharks Are Breaking the Rules of Evolution and Reproduction
Deer that produces glowing signatures with rubs and scrapes
Deer May Leave Glowing Scent Marks to Find a Potential Mate
aerial view of the grand prismatic pool at yellowstone national park
A Mysterious Ground Shift Returns to Yellowstone, and Advanced Tech Is Helping to Monitor It
two baby mountain gorillas playing on a tree
Endangered Mountain Gorillas See Rare Twin Birth in Congo’s Virunga Park
Dog surrounded by stuffed toys
Eavesdropping Isn’t Uniquely Human — Some Dogs Can Do It Too
Jellyfish and sea anemone, Cassiopea andromeda, in the ocean
Brainless Jellyfish Need Rest Like Humans, and Reveal Sleep’s Evolutionary Purpose
juvenile yellow huntsman spider with mite larvae around its neck
This Newly Discovered Parasite Looks Like a String of Pearls Around a Spider's Neck
Illustration of a Greenland shark in the ocean
How a 400-Year-Old Shark Keeps Its Vision From Breaking Down
cookiecutter shark with it's mouth open, revealing opaque white teeth
Rare and Elusive Cookiecutter Shark Leaves a Round Wound in Its Prey
fungal infected beetle in spruce tree
Fatal Fungus Turns Beetles’ Chemical Shields Into a Deadly Weakness

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe