Termites studied in quest for green fuels

International Herald Tribune - The Global Edition of the New York Times
By Carolyn Y. Johnson The Boston Globe
Published: December 9, 2008

Researchers have scooped soil near a reservoir in Massachusetts, visited a Russian volcano, and scoured the bottom of the sea looking for microbes that hold the key to new biofuels. Now, they are investigating termites more deeply.

The otherwise dreaded insect is a model bug bioreactor, adept at the difficult task of breaking down wood and turning it into fuel.

Learning the secret of that skill could open the door to creating a new class of plant-based fuels to offset a reliance on petroleum products.

What scientists have learned so far, however, suggests that it will not be easy to duplicate nature.

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