Researchers have designed artificial leaves that suck carbon dioxide out of the air and create oxygen. Well isn’t that what leaves already do, you might be asking? Yes, but where these artificial leaves differ is that they can trap carbon dioxide and turn it into carbon monoxide, which can then be used for a whole range of purposes, such as making synthetic fuels. Oxygen is a by-product as well, which can also be collected or just released back into the outside air like a natural plant would do. What makes these leaves especially impressive is that they can suck up carbon dioxide 10 times more efficiently than a natural leaf can. Not to mention the artificial leaves already work under real-world conditions, meaning they could start plucking carbon out of the air real soon.
These artificial leaves pull carbon dioxide out of thin air to create fuel
More of Today's Solutions
Dr. Jane Goodall on Hopes For The Future Of The Planet
2020 has been in some ways a grand study on humankind's impact on the natural world. As countries, business, and transportation networks were forced ...
Read MoreThese bladeless wind turbines could revolutionize the renewable sector
Bladeless wind turbines may sound counterintuitive, but a new startup aims to prove that these devices could reinvent the way we harness wind power ...
Read MoreThis new report debunks one of the biggest myths about electric vehicles
With fossil fuels driving the climate crisis, the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) has obvious benefits for the environment. With that said, there are ...
Read MoreWhat trees can teach us about volcanoes: a new view from space
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The next time a volcano begins to stir, the first signs might come not from smoke or rumbling ...
Read More
