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What would be really nice to invent is some superior alternative to existing photosynthesis that can better convert sunlight, water, and CO2 into organic matter
by Symmetry 7y ago
What would be really nice to invent is some superior alternative to existing photosynthesis that can better convert sunlight, water, and CO2 into organic matter than existing plants can. Once you've got that it might not matter whether they plants are trees or algae, so long as the organic matter can be buried.
- zeristor 7y agoThey're looking at GMing Nitrogenase into plants so that they're no longer limted by the lack of Nitrogen, they're also working on copying C4 photosynthesis into C3 photosynthesis plants so they can more efficiently use CO2. A superior form of photosynthesis isn't easy to imagine, the one we've got seems to use nifty quantum effects to be very efficient, I think about 80%. Earth cycles carbon, there's been a few spells when it has run out of carbon and turned it a snowball, seemingly saved by carbonate rocks being recycled by volcanoes. I think there'll run out of phosphate before then though.
- perilunar 7y agoBurying it is a waste. Better to grow trees (and bamboo) to make timber, and use it to replace concrete and steel (which are responsible for huge amounts CO2).