this post was submitted on 01 Jun 2026
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166
CO₂ scrubbing microbes discovered in underground laboratory (phys.org)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by Return_of_Chippy@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
30 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I posted this in the science community but I think it could be relevant here too. If its not or I shouldn't have posted it twice let me know and I'll remove it! Curious to hear more opinions.

all 31 comments
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[–] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 7 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Researchers are combining the best attributes from each microbe to engineer enzymes that can convert CO2 from coal-fired power plant emissions into calcium carbonate—a mineral that can later be sold as a concrete additive or for other industrial purposes.

Gotta be honest, that's pretty slick. Making concrete is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to adding CO2 to the atmosphere. Concrete has a very high carbon footprint. If we can find a way to make concrete carbon neutral, or even carbon negative... That would be truly transformative.

[–] Nouvellalia@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago

Unfortunately using calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from this process to make calcium oxide (CaO) for concrete would release whatever carbon dioxide (CO2) you sequestered in the process.

As you can see, to get CaO from CaCO3 you have to remove a C and two O's. or properly put, a CO2. Doing this would actually release more CO2 than you sequestered originally because to get that CaO you'd have to heat up the calcium carbonate to a few thousand degrees again, burning more coal or whatever to create the heat.

[–] thoralf@discuss.familie-will.at 11 points 1 day ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (2 children)

Sounds a little too good to be true.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 15 hours ago

even if it is, the polluting wont stop, or emissions from our industries.

[–] Return_of_Chippy@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Yeah I hear ya, I'm trying to be optimistic.

[–] artyom@piefed.social 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You mean like algae?

[–] MrQuallzin@pie.eyeofthestorm.place 32 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Nope! These microbes eat CO2 and poop rocks. Algae like other plants take in CO2 but I believe it gets released back into the environment after the plant dies. Bring stored in a rock is a pretty big difference

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago (2 children)

But what about when the rock dies?

[–] BlameTheAntifa@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Rock will never die. 🤘

[–] MrQuallzin@pie.eyeofthestorm.place 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

We make more rocks and bury the dead rocks in the new rocks

[–] Masamune@piefed.social 5 points 22 hours ago

The great circle of life.

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 10 points 1 day ago

algae releases oxygen, but then consumes the oxygen again latter when the energy is needed. There is just a surplus that isn't consumes - everything that makes up the cell isn't recombined, also oils and such may result as well. Sometimes this surplus rots/burns thus converting back to CO2, but other things can happen (sink to the bottom of the sea where there isn't spare oxygen to recombine with). Not all recombining is perfect either, sometimes you get coal as a result. The vast majority is recombined, but there is a lot of algae and so just a little bit of difference makes for a massive amount that isn't. (not near enough to make up for all the fuel humans are burning - but overall the earth seems to have been slightly net negative in CO2 before humans started burning fossil fuels for energy)

[–] artyom@piefed.social 4 points 1 day ago

Interesting, I had no idea.

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Paywall.

[–] Return_of_Chippy@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Weird, I'm able to view it without paying anything.

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (2 children)

[–] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

are you using a content blocker? ublock etc

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

No

[–] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

that's your real problem. why, though?

[–] Return_of_Chippy@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Thats wild I haven't had that pop up and I've looked at several articles there today. Sorry!

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Fuck me in particular, I guess.

[–] binux@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Save this site, it can display archived versions of paywalled articles

https://www.removepaywall.com/

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world -3 points 1 day ago

Or OP could post archived links.

[–] muntedcrocodile@hilariouschaos.com 0 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Most pay walls can be deleted with archive.md

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 0 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

You should tell OP to post links using that

[–] muntedcrocodile@hilariouschaos.com 1 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

It got banned on much of lemmy cos apparently it was acting as a Russian ddos tool

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 1 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

Then maybe we shouldn't use that

[–] muntedcrocodile@hilariouschaos.com 1 points 15 hours ago

Its fine imo but don't use it if ya don't want to