{"page":"\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\nVideo\n
\n

\nOne day, we may fill the tank with fungi fuel! - Science Nation\n

\n
\n
\nGet Free Access for 10 Days!\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
×
\n\n\n
\n\nPublisher:\n\nScience360\n\n\n
\n
\nOne day, we may fill the tank with fungi fuel! Plant fungi and bacteria called \"endophytes\" fueling breakthroughs in energy, medicine and moreOver his 50-year career, Montana State University plant pathologist Gary Strobel has traveled...\nOne day, we may fill the tank with fungi fuel!
Plant fungi and bacteria called \"endophytes\" fueling breakthroughs in energy, medicine and more
Over his 50-year career, Montana State University plant pathologist Gary Strobel has traveled to all seven continents to collect samples of endophytes from remote and sometimes dangerous places. Endophytes are microorganisms--bacteria and fungi--that live within the living tissue of a plant.

With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Strobel, engineer Brent Peyton and their team at Montana State University have discovered that endophytes have the ability to make diesel-like fuel. One hydrocarbon-producing fungus comes from the Ulmo tree of Patagonia. Another is a citrus fungus from Florida. And, amazingly, it takes the team just a few weeks to create the fuel.

Strobel says the long-term goal is to improve the process of using microbes that degrade plant material, especially agricultural waste, to make economically feasible quantities of hydrocarbons. He adds fungi and bacteria hold great potential for breakthroughs in medicine, plastics and green chemistry as well.

The research in this episode was supported by NSF award #0937613 ( and funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Miles O'Brien, Science Nation Correspondent
Marsha Walton, Science Nation Producer\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Resource Details

\n
\n
\n
\n
Curator Rating
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Media Length
\n
2:45
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Grade
12th - Higher Ed
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Subjects
Science
6 more...
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Media Type
Instructional Videos
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Source:
\n
\nScience360\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Date
\n
2013
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\n
Language
English
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Audiences
For Teacher Use
2 more...
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Additional Materials

\n
\n\nSign in or Join Now
\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"/subscription/new\">Video Transcript\n
\n
\n\nSign in or Join Now
\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"/subscription/new\">Video Preview\n
\n
\n
\n

Concepts

\n
\n
fungi, scientists, fuel, leaves, fungus, organisms, ears, hydrocarbons, medicine
\n
\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Additional Tags

\n
\n
national science foundation, amount, strobel, citrus fungus, fight, stroble, learning, science, made, plant material, diesel, grow, general science, booth, experiments, make, science experiments, sciences, found, plant, call
\n
\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Classroom Considerations

\n
Best For: Explaining a topic
Video is ad-free
\n
\n
\n

Educator Ratings

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\nShow resource details\n
\n
\n\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: One day, we may fill the tank with fungi fuel! - Science Nation\" href=\"/subscription/new\">\"One\n\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n"}