Now, how many times have you thought of a bacteria as being your friend? Has it ever crossed your mind it could actually become your energy supplier?

Researchers at the Standford University have discovered a bacteria that “eats� metal and releases energy. As a result of its metabolic process the bacteria, which can be found in soil, air or other environments transforms metal into excess electrons but does not recombine them in other chemical reactions.

The ultimate goal of this study is to get Schewanella oneidensis, the bacteria, transform waste water into energy. Also, possibility of one bacteria to feed on the waste of another has also been proved to be a smart idea.

The bacteria dream does not stop here. Researchers have discovered another microbe which can feed on photons and release hydrogen, this if you think to start your car feed on microbes instead of fuel.

The idea exists as well as the bacteria, there is just the problem of making it work for real and get that fuel cell on the market, why not make it a mainstream. Researchers receive a lot of support from the US government as the Defense Department is thinking to bring more robots on the battle field in order to transport equipment or to function as reconnaissance vehicles and powering them with fuel cells seems a pretty good idea.

You’d better start cultivating your own bacteria. Microbes could come in handy after all…