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
More US states and cities are boosting minimum wages in 2026. What does it me...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM As the federal minimum wage remains frozen at $7.25 an hour, unchanged since 2009, cities and states across ...
Read More3 organization hacks for Type B brains that actually work
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Scroll through any productivity blog or time-management book, and you’ll find a familiar formula: rigid routines, detailed planners, ...
Read MoreAn easy hack to counteract the harmful health effects of sitting all day
Humans are not designed to spend the entire day seated. Nonetheless, billions of us do it at least five days per week, as Western ...
Read MoreEnsuring no pet goes hungry: The rise of pet food banks in the UK
Pete Dolan, a cat owner, recalls the tremendous help he received from Animal Food Bank Support UK, a Facebook organization that coordinates volunteer community ...
Read More
