
An Artificial Biological Leaf [video] - prateekj
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU-T0ht2OdQ
======
hxrts
I believe this project is intended to be more of a 'design fiction' than a
functioning photosynthetic material (RCA is well known for this type of work).
Of course free organelles that aren't maintained by the cellular machinery
will rapidly cease to function. They will maintain their green color but won't
be able to perform membrane/macromolecule repair, gradient regulation,
signaling, foreign body defense, etc.

This is still a useful project however as it may serve to catalyze future
research into robust photosynthetic materials.

~~~
whistlerbrk
Do you know anyone working on this 'for real'? Synthetic biologists so to
speak. I've looked into this before to no avail.

~~~
hxrts
Not familiar with the lab personally but this is probably close to the state
of the art right now.
[http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl903141j](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl903141j)

------
buraksarica
Did someone in the video squeeze leafs in order to extract chlorophyll or
something? It sounds crazy to destroy leaves in order to build artificial
leaves..

~~~
ape4
Next artificial meat. Simply grind some beef and mold into a patty.

~~~
tmslnz
There were a few projects on this, from the same school. For one, James King's
artificial meat:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmqHnBp8odg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmqHnBp8odg)

------
icandownvote
Sounds like a very cool project. Any idea where we can find more info on it?
Specifically, it would be interesting to learn where does the freed Carbon go:
this topic is not covered in images and the little text that is available on
the site. Also (or perhaps related to it) what's the longevity of the leaf and
what does it require for photosynthesis to run (regular leafs require at least
water and removal or generated organic material)

------
dang
Url changed from [http://www.sciencedump.com/content/first-man-made-
biological...](http://www.sciencedump.com/content/first-man-made-biological-
leaf), which points to this.

