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Making 'food out of thin air' (2024)

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Re: Making 'food out of thin air' (2024)

#4
During WW2 Germany was making edible fats/margarine out of coal. Similarly, the atmospheric CO2 can be a source of carbon, especially say on Mars.

(another thing back then in Germany - ramjet engine using coal in a metal basket as a fuel. The war does put minds to work - radars/computers/nukes on the Allies side also come to mind.)

Re: Making 'food out of thin air' (2024)

#5
post #4

During WW2 Germany was making edible fats/margarine out of coal. Similarly, the atmospheric CO2 can be a source of carbon, especially say on Mars. (another thing back then in Germany - ramjet engine using coal in a metal basket as a fuel. The war does put minds to work - radars/computers/nukes on the Allies side also come to mind.)

Coal margarine, this protein powder and some vitamins, I wonder how long human could survive on such "diet".

Re: Making 'food out of thin air' (2024)

#6
post #5
post #4

During WW2 Germany was making edible fats/margarine out of coal. Similarly, the atmospheric CO2 can be a source of carbon, especially say on Mars. (another thing back then in Germany - ramjet engine using coal in a metal basket as a fuel. The war does put minds to work - radars/computers/nukes on the Allies side also come to mind.)

Coal margarine, this protein powder and some vitamins, I wonder how long human could survive on such "diet".

Our cats and dogs live on such a diet (until you learn what the supermarket cat/dogfood really is and take them off it). Vets have been saying about all those health problems resulting from that diet.

Re: Making 'food out of thin air' (2024)

#7
There already is a multi $B market for the amino acid methionine, made both through a synthetic process and a fermented process. It's used to supplement animal feed. So it's possible to synthesize nutrition economically. And it's a good idea to focus on animal feed since there's not the ick reaction to humans eating science project food.

I've read lately about another startup Savor that aims to make synthetic fats. They can make it in a variety of forms of it, from cooking oil to something like butter. They claim they can make it both much cheaper and with a much smaller carbon footprint than through conventional agriculture.

https://www.hertzfoundation.org/news/hertz-fellows-tech-comp...

Re: Making 'food out of thin air' (2024)

#8

Breathless tech reporters have discovered farming

The last time they discovered farming a big pile of dumb money got set on fire by vertical farming startups. Usually SV startup culture attempting to invade a new industry sector provokes fear and loathing but in the case of agriculture I deeply enjoy watching them stick a fork in an outlet recursively.

Re: Making 'food out of thin air' (2024)

#9
post #5
post #4

During WW2 Germany was making edible fats/margarine out of coal. Similarly, the atmospheric CO2 can be a source of carbon, especially say on Mars. (another thing back then in Germany - ramjet engine using coal in a metal basket as a fuel. The war does put minds to work - radars/computers/nukes on the Allies side also come to mind.)

Coal margarine, this protein powder and some vitamins, I wonder how long human could survive on such "diet".

I just think it's pretty amazing.

Re: Making 'food out of thin air' (2024)

#10
post #5
post #4

During WW2 Germany was making edible fats/margarine out of coal. Similarly, the atmospheric CO2 can be a source of carbon, especially say on Mars. (another thing back then in Germany - ramjet engine using coal in a metal basket as a fuel. The war does put minds to work - radars/computers/nukes on the Allies side also come to mind.)

Coal margarine, this protein powder and some vitamins, I wonder how long human could survive on such "diet".

60kg of coal per 1kg of butter. You need about 3kg of meal for 1kg of chicken. 1.7kf of feed per 1kg of edible crickets.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer%E2%80%93Tropsch_proces...

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