Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
Chris Greening, Professor, Microbiology, Monash University

Electricity from thin air: an enzyme from bacteria can extract energy from hydrogen in the atmosphere

Shutterstock

It may sound surprising, but when times are tough and there is no other food available, some soil bacteria can consume traces of hydrogen in the air as an energy source.

In fact, bacteria remove a staggering 70 million tonnes of hydrogen yearly from the atmosphere, a process that literally shapes the composition of the air we breathe.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.