Most life depends on the Sun. Through photosynthesis, plants and other organisms harness the energy of the Sun to convert water and CO­₂ into sugars, forming the base of the food chain. Scientists and engineers around the world are trying to develop processes that are as sustainable and elegant as photosynthesis.

But it’s really not that easy to make use of natural systems as an energy source. When such organisms are transplanted into bioreactors, the overall efficiency of the photosynthesis achieved is typically quite low, less than five percent. But there have been attempts to improve on this low efficiency.

Recently, a team of scientists developed a hybrid inorganic-biological system capable of driving an artificial photosynthetic process. Their system relies on an “artificial leaf” as well as some bacteria to power carbon fixation into biomass and liquid fuels.