• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • WordPress
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
Science Update

Science Update

Sharing Science | Satisfying Curiosity | Debunking BS

  • Spotlights
  • Reality Check
  • Why Is It?
  • Radio Archives
  • Sciup @ School
Home » Radio Archive » Daily Show » Boosting Photosynthesis

Boosting Photosynthesis

February 22, 2012
https://podcast.scienceupdate.com/120222_sciup_photo.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window

BOB HIRSHON (host):

Boosting Photosynthesis…I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.

Photosynthesis coverts carbon dioxide from the air into the carbohydrates that make up plants. An enzyme called RuBisCO harvests the carbon with the help of sunlight, but it isn’t very efficient.

HOWARD GRIFFITHS (University of Cambridge):

Less than 5% of that energy gets converted into food or products that we can use.

HIRSHON:

That’s Cambridge plant ecologist Howard Griffiths. He says some crops, like corn and sugar cane, have evolved strategies to make photosynthesis more efficient. He and his colleagues are trying to learn from them in order to supercharge photosynthesis in less efficient crops like soybeans, rice, and potatoes.

GRIFFITHS:

What were hoping to do is improve the efficiency of that enzyme that is the basis for life on earth by enhancing CO2 supply within a given plant to improve the way that it works.

HIRSHON:

This could help feed the world’s growing population and boost biofuel production. I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.

Category: Daily Show, Station DownloadTag: Biology, Genetics & Evolution, Nutrition & Food Science, Plants & Agriculture
Previous Post:Hands-on Music
Next Post:Endangered Voices

Sidebar

Radio Program Archives

Want to learn more about the brain? The environment? Here you can browse the topics that come up regularly on Science Update.

Search the Archives

Categories

  • Daily Show
  • Station Download
  • Weekly Show

Find By Tag

  • 2020
  • Acoustics & Sound
  • Aging
  • Animal Behavior
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Astronomy & Space
  • Biology
  • Brain Science
  • Bugs
  • Cat Video
  • Chemistry
  • Children & Families
  • cicadas
  • Climate & Weather
  • Communications
  • Computer Science
  • Economics & Business
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Environment & Conservation
  • Genetics & Evolution
  • Geology
  • Marine Science
  • Materials Science
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine & Health
  • Microbiology
  • Nanotechnology
  • NASA
  • Nutrition & Food Science
  • Paleontology & Dinosaurs
  • Physics
  • Plants & Agriculture
  • Political Science
  • Reality Check
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences
  • Sports & Fitness
  • spotlight
  • Spotlight Bugs
  • Terrorism & War
  • Why Is It? Questions
  • Wildlife
  • Year in Review

Find By Date

Science Update
  • About Science Update
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

Image of computer screen depicting an orange cat with a variety of alphanumeric scientific data superimposed on the the screen.
Spotted skunk performing handstand to threaten predators

Copyright © 2025 · Springtail Media LLC · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Pongos