Steven D. Allison will release his book, The Age of Microbes: A blueprint for a habitable Earth, on 3 November in the US and 27 November in the UK. Microbes possess the ability to capture surplus carbon from the atmosphere and store it underground or on the seabed for nearly forever.
These organisms can also power jet engines with clean energy and serve as a substitute for chemical fertilisers. Allison notes that microbes can be used as probiotics to increase heat tolerance and decrease bleaching and disease in coral reefs.
The author further explains that microbes can re-engineer food crops, trees, and other plants to endure droughts. Because they are organic, cheap, and easy to produce, these microbes are non-toxic and non-pathogenic.
Historical context for these organisms dates back to the 17th century when Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovered bacteria by examining his own dental plaque. Scientific milestones include Eunice Newton Foote publishing a paper on the greenhouse effect in 1856 and Mary Mandels pioneering cellulosic ethanol using fungal enzymes roughly a century later.
Allison stated, "you'll have microbes and Mary Mandels to thank." The ocean contains nearly 3 billion billion billion oxygen-producing Prochlorococcus cyanobacteria.
In contrast to the longevity of Sequoia trees, which can live for a thousand years, the US annual per capita energy usage stands at 76,300 kilowatt-hours. This energy amount is equivalent to 2300 gallons of petrol.
