biofilm, definition of

Population of various microrganisms, trapped in a layer of slime and excretion products, attached to a surface.

• Energy-generating smart bricks turn ordinary buildings into efficient living machines
  A cool project with an unfortunate acronym, LIAR or Living Architecture is developing construction bricks composed of biofilm that can harness solar energy, wastewater, and air pollution, and turn them into usable resources...
• Researchers Design Synthetic Trees to Produce Algal Biofuels and Water
  In the global effort to wean ourselves from fossil fuels, scientists have been looking towards algal biofuels as renewable sources of energy. Microalgae is capable of using sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce energy-rich molecules, create bioplastics,...
• Streams Polluted by Pharmaceuticals Show Signs of Stress
  Photo via Shutterstock Much of the world’s human population has some sort of pharmaceutical running through their veins, and as it turns out, so does the planet’s streams and rivers...
• Extraterrestrial Microbes Could Double the Output Of Bacteria Batteries
  Bacteria and microbes have long been discussed as potential renewable power sources, like microbial fuel cells using bacteria to convert organic compounds directly into electricity by a process known as bio-catalytic oxidation...
• Sewage Eating ‘Poo-Gloos’ Clean Wastewater
  Bio-Domes offer an affordable, sustainable way to clean up sewage just as effectively as multimillion-dollar treatment facilities. Designed by Kraig Johnson of Wastewater Compliance Systems, the six-foot-wide, three-foot-tall structures are lined with...