E78: Can we use bacteria to make renewable rocket fuel? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/can-we-use-bacteria-to-make-renewable-rocket-fuel/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/w89zniBxgucSummary: Scientists explored whether bacteria could be used to make high-energy biofuels to make rockets, airplanes, and ships more sustainable.Abstract: NASA’s space shuttle has to reach speeds of almost 18,000 miles per hour (29,000 kilometers per hour) in only 8.5 minutes. That’s necessary for it to reach outer space. That’s 300 times faster than a car traveling at 60 mph (97 km/h)! To reach these speeds, rockets need particularly high-energy fuels. It’s the same for airplanes and cargo ships, too.At the moment, these high-energy fuels are made using petroleum – a fossil fuel, and the leading cause of global climate change. So, there’s an urgent need for scientists to develop more sustainable high-energy fuels.We explored whether bacteria could make molecules we could turn into high-energy biofuels. We looked into bacterial DNA and used clever chemistry to produce new biofuels using Streptomyces bacteria. These “POP biofuels” seem to be even better (higher energy) than the current petroleum-made rocket fuels! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com