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Something I'm curious to know: How does the efficiency of this new process compare to using regular solar panels to generate electricity and then using that electrical energy to synthesize the same chemicals?

Mimicking photosynthesis at this level, using durable inorganic materials like copper and perovskite, feels like one of those "quiet breakthroughs" that could end up being a game-changer if scaled up

Stuff like this(and fusion) is where we should be putting our research energies.

Late comment on this: saw a short talk by Dr. Eisele at a regional APS conference a few weeks ago on some research aimed at a future non-silicon based solar panels that are easy and cheap to manufacture but also do not lose efficiency at higher temps (as is common with current panels)* Her group apparently is at patent stage on some newer, follow-on research.

ref: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41557-020-00563-4

*that's all from memory, hopefully didn't misrepresent anything

I'm in my early thirties and I feel like i've heard about an "artificial leaf" every five years for the last fifteen.

We have leaves. Can scientists invent something to help us convince politicians to actually give a shit about saving the planet we depend on.

It is quite fascinating to think that leaves are not just a static end product but make further leaves that can again spin off more leaves via many trees in parallel.

Like the algorithm that began billions of years is nowhere done and is expanding. What we build on the other hand crumbles every few years.

It's great that we can finally turn over a new leaf.

I'll see myself out.

So can I make a realistic plant mech mobile suit now?

Should we really be making more plastic and carbon fuels?

I thought we were supposed to be going no lead.

What is wrong with normal leafs?

In the next couple years we'll be modifying and creating biological structures that perform these functions.

Building it by mechanically manipulating inert materials feels so 1950s.

Wow the level of typical HN "if it isn't practical then it's bullshit and not worth doing" sentiment is unusually high today.

> a perovskite and copper-based device that converts carbon dioxide into C2 products – precursory chemicals of innumerable products in our everyday lives, from plastic polymers to jet fuel

Star Trek Replicator?