3 ms·
Heatpumps are a thing, it's just that evolution never stumbled on them.
by titzer 4y ago
Heatpumps are a thing, it's just that evolution never stumbled on them.
- laci37 4y agoI don't think there are any coolants that would be appropriate for life's temperature ranges at the right pressures that can be synthesized biochemically.
- 323 4y agoPeople are working on propane biochemical synthesis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25181600/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25181600/ I don't know about the other part (temperature/pressure).
- mmastrac 4y agoEvolution seems to prefer proteins that denature at higher temps instead: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperthermophile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperthermophile
- warble 4y agoSweat is an open heatpump loop. You're intending a closed loop of course in your comment, but same process.
- titzer 4y agoIt isn't though, because powered mechanical compression and decompression is what allows a heat pump to outperform the inherent thermodynamic limit of evaporative cooling.
- eternityforest 4y agoIs that possible? Could there be a biochemical equivalent of a Peltier junction?