[Rockhounds] Bakken Formation => burning petroleum

[J Bryan Kramer]

I have heard that there is some interest in genetically engineering trees to
directly produce hydrocarbons. Maybe you could tap them like maple trees and
get isooctane out of the tap. This is obviously a long term project if
anyone is actually working on it.

One the other hand I saw mention of modifying trees to tie up carbon, maybe
in a pure carbon core of the tree. These could then be buried, assuming of
course that atmospheric CO2 is ever shown to be a real problem. Of course if
they could produce the carbon in the clear colorless variety that would be
all that much more interesting. Diamond logs...heh.

BK

I say what we need is an efficient way to convert sunlight, H2O, and CO2
> into oil.  And biology is the way to do it.  We just have to
> tame/design/engineer plants that can do it for us.
>
> Unfortunately I don't see a lot of drive in this direction, nor much
> clear thinking about the subject.  (I Am Not An Expert But...)  So what
> can anyone like me do?  Well, I'll proselytize like this now and then.
>
>


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