LS9 (www.ls9.com) is a company based in CA that basically genetically modifies bacteria so that when they break down waste, they turn it into petroleum. In a one step process. Check 'em out, this is cutting edge stuff.

What are your thoughts on the next resource? I think these guys are on it like stink on shit when it comes to the sustainable resources...with the right harvesting capabilites and facilities, the world's economy doesn't really stop. Imagine the possibility of no more reliance on the middle east for oil (not to say that we'd use it; allegedly there's enough oil in the US that we don't need it, but buy it anyways to keep the global economy going...).

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Yeah, this stuffs been around for about 5 years now. If I remember correctly the problem is the inputs, to actually produce enough biomass to replace our foreign oil we'd have to dedicate some absurd amount of farmland towards it. Unless some bottleneck has been eliminated thats the last i've heard on this subject. Cool shit though, my original molecular biology mentor is a synthetic biologist, we used a gene found in a bacteria that lives in underwater volcanic thermal vents to genetically engineer tomatoes with higher heat tolerance. Synthetic biology/genetic engineering is fun shit (and i'm not just saying that cuz it's what I do)

Yeah, I know it's not "new", but I'm hoping it'll catch on.. I know there's some talks about trying to get Dominican cane sugar or something of similarly (relatively) simple makeup that can be broken down properly. The company also says they want to stay away from corn.

You seem to have a damn cool job...

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