Microbial division of labor produces higher biofuel yields

Scientists have found a way to boost ethanol production via yeast fermentation, a standard method for converting plant sugars into biofuels. Their approach, detailed in the journal Nature Communications, relies on careful ...

Pretreating soil with ethanol protects plants from drought

Ethanol can help plants survive in times of drought says a new study conducted at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science in Japan. Led by Motoaki Seki, researchers show that adding ethanol to soil allows plants, ...

Engineered yeast could expand biofuels' reach

Boosting production of biofuels such as ethanol could be an important step toward reducing global consumption of fossil fuels. However, ethanol production is limited in large part by its reliance on corn, which isn't grown ...

Researchers produce low-cost hand sanitizer from waste

A Tel Aviv University breakthrough allows, for the first time, a local production of ethanol—and hand sanitizer—based on plant and paper waste, using a novel lignin (a substance found in plants) degradation process. This ...

Scientists discover new 'architecture' in corn

New research on the U.S.'s most economically important agricultural plant—corn—has revealed a different internal structure of the plant than previously thought, which can help optimize how corn is converted into ethanol.

How biofuels from plant fibers could combat global warming

Scientists, companies and government agencies are hard at work on decreasing greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. In recent years, biofuels produced from corn have emerged as a fuel source to power motor vehicles ...

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