"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." ~ H.L. Mencken
Bacteria that Poop Gold? Yep, that Exists, and It’s in an Art Exhibit.
It won’t retrieve the global economy from the ditch, but there is bacteria that consumes a toxic metal to produce pure gold.
Our colleagues over at Slate have produce a video explaining how the super-strong bacteria Cupriavidus metallidurans goes about its precious dirty business:
(1 vote)
- Login to post comments
User Login
Search This Site
Recent comments
Root Strikers
Non-Voting
Civil Disobedience
Reprint Rights
Comments
The bacteria turn gold chloride (which is NOT a metal, toxic or otherwise, just as sodium chloride (table salt) does not have metallic sodium in it) into gold. Big whoop! This can be done in any chemistry lab without the use of bacteria. Gold is one of the most stable metals in the periodic table; that's why it doesn't tarnish. It's a lot harder to make gold chloride from gold than to make gold from gold chloride. This story is misleading, and ultimately worthless.
Misleading and ultimately worthless?
How so it's a story about an art exhibit.
...there is bacteria that consumes a toxic metal to produce pure gold.
You don't call that misleading??