The Deal With Carbon: How Earth's Mighty Microbes Respond

The Deal With Carbon: How Earth's Mighty Microbes Respond   JGI Science @ The Lesher

Microbes make the world go 'round – they comprise most of the Earth's total biodiversity and play key roles in maintaining the global processes that keep the planet, and life in and on it, going.

One of the global processes microbes play a key role in is the carbon cycle, which is currently unbalanced. Humans release more carbon into the atmosphere than can be naturally removed. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) launched the Carbon Cycle 2.0 initiative to provide the science needed to restore this balance by integrating the Lab's diverse research activities and delivering creative solutions toward a carbon-neutral energy future. Microbes play a major role in the management of global carbon. An affiliate of LBNL, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) has researchers working on some of these solutions.

This second in a series of JGI Science @ The Lesher panels directs the spotlight on those most mysterious and unseen players in the carbon equation: microbes.

John Fowler, KTVU Health & Science Editor in conversation with:

• Jonathan Eisen (JGI/UC Davis):  Building an Encyclopedia of Microbial Life
• Terry Hazen (LBNL):  Microbes Cope with Calamity: Gulf Oil Spill
• Rachel Mackelprang (JGI): The Big Thaw: Role of Arctic Permafrost Microbes

 FREE: Call the Lesher ticket office to reserve tickets (925) 943-7469 

The discussion held on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 is now available on YouTube: http://bit.ly/fIVE9w  From the sun to your gas tank: A new breed of biofuels may help solve the global energy challenge and reduce the impact of fossil fuels on global climate change.