Well, we certainly aren’t almighty and there is nothing comparable to the wonders described in the bible – but, wow, if the newest project described in the National Geographic becomes reality, I would say we are pretty close to a human miracle. That’s the idea:Scientists try to find out how to split water molecules, mimicking the chemical reactions in biological photosynthesis. In this chemical reaction sunlight or better the sun’s energy is used by plants to split water into its two components: oxygen and hydrogen. The so produced hydrogen could be used as fuel by itself or alternatively for combining it with carbon compounds to produce fuels – exactly what a plant does when it grows. The trick is to understand which components, or better enzyme is responsible for the splitting reaction and makes it possible after all. Now, scientists state that they recently found the component, what they were looking for. Understanding the structure of it may help scientists to replicate the enzyme artificially.That's one first step into the direction of turning water into energy.Just imagine... an almost endless resource of energy – we only have to take care that we don’t use up all water sources until scientists discovered the whole mechanism, or learn how to produce water!
Foto: Anke Herder