What will they think of next?
“Scientists at Tulane University have discovered a new use for discarded newspapers — one that can turn yesterday’s news into the alternative fuel of tomorrow.
“Their research has hit upon a bacterial strain that chomps away at the cellulose in old newsprint, turning the organic material into butanol, a bio-substitute for the gas tank.
“The strain is the first bacterial microbe found in nature that produces butanol directly from cellulose, a material found in all green plants, university officials say.
“A team led by Tulane molecular biology professor David Mullin discovered the microbe in animal dung at the New Orleans zoo and dubbed the strain TU-103, using the university’s initials.”
