MIT Scientists Create Virus-Based Battery

[jeraldjunkmail]

This kind of tinkering has been going on in other fields for years with MUCH more relevant organisms (mice) than bacterium. Honestly, this is REALLY cool, although I understand why some of you sound a tad nervous. I too, hate running, and hope the zombies are of the slow variety. But having UBER cool batteries in my laptop in a few years also sounds amazing. Now all we need to do is start upgrading the power grid to be able to handle a society run on batteries, instead of our current gasoline driven one...

 

[zerapio]

[citation][nom]norbs[/nom]Yea this does make me feel a bit uneasy. I'm sure they take precautions but it's just seems like a matter of time before someone makes something that they wish they hadn't.[/citation]

"According to project leader Angela Belcher, the virus used in the battery is a common bacteriophage, which infects bacteria but is harmless to humans."

No need to be uneasy.

 

[Blessedman]

Well so far, nothing we can make can match what mother nature has already created. This seems like a brilliant leap in thinking.

 

[idisarmu]

...what if the viruses get minds of their own and decide to build robots? Then what, Mr. Genius Scientist? /sarcasm

While this is fascinating news, I do think it would be better if they developed virus-free batteries... unless of course this battery is cleaner than anything else.

 

[Guest]

I think we're going to see a lot more of that bio-research in the future!
Perhaps we are all going to be living green!
TV not working? Feed some bacteria to it,or hang it on a solar panel!

 

[kingssman]

I always thought they would do this with bacteria or multi cell organisms heck maybe single cell. But never in my mind would i think a virus would be used.

 

[NightLight]

well, i'm gonna start working on that EMP of mine!

 

[Guest]

i am thinking the creatures in the "Final Fantasy" movie?

 

[kamkal]

I better get my green and red herbs ready

Some first aid spray as well

 

[mavroxur]

"Honey, I SWEAR I caught gonorreah from using one of those new laptop batteries, not what you're acusing me of!"

 

[gto127]

What bothers me is if this becomes commonplace to have batteries made out of virus, you might have some anarchist that figures out how to modify the virus & make it deadly. You would then see terrorists buying up batteries much like the meth lab people buy up cold medicine.

 

[Tindytim]

Not a new idea by any stretch of imagination, using genetically modified viri for beneficial effects has been in science fiction for years.

[citation][nom]Pongobongo[/nom]Imagine if this virus could be made to self-replicate. Talk about easy mass-production![/citation]
see this
[citation][nom]Pei-chen[/nom]What if the virus mutates and changes the voltage or leaked?[/citation]
Letting them reproduce unattended pretty much invites a mutation. I'd guess they'd be shipped in a sterile state.

 

[necro1783]

*grabs my copy of Zombie Survival Guide* just in case

 

[necro1783]

just in case /grabs copy of zombie survival guide

 

[WyomingKnott]

"Hey, I got to run to the store and buy a zillion viruses to put in my notebook."
or
"My antivirus program destroyed my battery."