I saw an interesting summary (here at Biotechniques.com) about a recent research paper (here on PLoS Genetics) on ants and their microbiome and how it may have implications for biofuels. The paper is the joint product of researchers from all over the Americas, but it was lead by a bacteriologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We all know that there is tremendous potential for sustainable biofuels in the cellulose and related parts of plants. The challenge is in finding economical ways to scale up the mass conversion of plant cellulose into hydrocarbons that can be converted to use as fuels. Leaf-cutter ants collect leaves that are used as food for their colonies after an external symbiotic bacteria, found by the researchers, degrades the cellulose. If these bacteria and their enzymes can be harnessed at scale, this could lead to a very productive way to convert cellulosic biomass into future biofuels.
Readers of this blog will know that we like Thomas Friedman, but his “It’s Morning in India” article from a couple of days ago doesn’t resonate like his usual thoughts. The article is not much more than a series of quotes and contains less Friedman commentary than normal. India and the US are two dynamic countries that are both competitors and collaborators. When you are in India, it is not surprising to find people that want to suggest in subtle ways that India is on the rise and America is on the decline. Both countries have amazing success stories that should be focused on and certainly both have problems that should not be ignored. It may be morning in America and in India at different times but thankfully we each see a new morning each day. Ring the bell and lets get focused on some education, innovation and commercialization.