PacSci-Doku: "Poop Power" Answer

By Dennis Schatz - Senior Vice President for Strategic Programs

The question in this edition is:

What might be the secret to efficiently turning plant waste into biofuels?

The answer: Zebra Dung

Scroll down to see the solution.

Biofuels are more environmentally friendly than petroleum-based fuels, but today's biofuels are typically made from corn kernels or sugar cane, which can also be used to feed people. Researchers at Tulane in New Orleans mixed bacteria from zebra droppings with plant waste, such as twigs, seeds, recycled newspaper, plus corn husks and sugar cane waste. The result is a more efficient process to produce butanol (a type of biofuel) more efficiently than in the past. If the process can be scaled up, this could lead to less dependence on foreign oil. Click here to read more about how zebra dung may help solve our energy generation challenges.

Here is the solution:

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