Fungal Power

by Rufus F. on June 2, 2010

How will they get all that oil out of the Gulf of Mexico? Paul Stamets suggests mycoremediation: using mushrooms to break down and consume the oil. It apparently works on land. Not to mention it’s a pretty good time to use any idea they’ve got.

Rufus is a married, 36-year old graduate student completing a dissertation in Early Modern European and Mediterranean History, who lives in Canada, studies in the US, and researches in France.

{ 2 comments }

1 Bull E June 2, 2010 at 8:06 pm

The article doesn’t make clear however how this would work in the water and mentions that they don’t know the effects salt water would have on the process. It is neat to see, though, that people are trying to find innovative ways to tackle problems like cleaning oil spills. I hope this research continues and I agree that they should try whatever they can do help.

2 Rufus F. June 3, 2010 at 8:02 am

@Bull E, I had the same questions about the salt water, although maybe there’s some way to use them in the marshes.

Incidentally, I remember after Valdez they were talking about using the ingredient that gives bubble gum its consistency on oil slicks because then you could just suck them off the water. Anyone know whatever happened to that idea?

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