TEDxCaltech
Angela Belcher: Using nature to grow batteries
Angela Belcher談利用生物製造電池
Filmed:
Readability: 4.7
971,791 views
因為受到了齙魚殼的啟發，Angela Belcher利用病毒製造出可供人類利用的精美奈米結構。透過誘導演化﹐她挑選出含有高性能基因的病毒來製造新的強力電池、乾淨氫燃料和太陽能電池。在TEDxCaltech，她跟大家說明這是如何辦到的。
Angela Belcher - Biological engineer
Angela Belcher looks to nature for inspiration on how to engineer viruses to create extraordinary new materials. Full bio
Angela Belcher looks to nature for inspiration on how to engineer viruses to create extraordinary new materials. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:15
I thought I would talk a little bit about how nature makes materials.
0
0
3000
我想我要談一下大自然如何製造材料。
00:18
I brought along with me an abalone shell.
1
3000
2000
我帶來了一個鮑魚殼。
00:20
This abalone shell is a biocomposite material
2
5000
3000
這個鮑魚殼是一個生物複合材料，
00:23
that's 98 percent by mass calcium carbonate
3
8000
3000
它百分之98的質量是由碳酸鈣組成
00:26
and two percent by mass protein.
4
11000
2000
另外百分之二是蛋白質。
00:28
Yet, it's 3,000 times tougher
5
13000
2000
但是比起其他在同個地方成長的物質﹐
00:30
than its geological counterpart.
6
15000
2000
它卻硬了三千倍。
00:32
And a lot of people might use structures like abalone shells,
7
17000
3000
而且很多人或許會利用類似齙魚殼的東西，
00:35
like chalk.
8
20000
2000
像是粉筆。
00:37
I've been fascinated by how nature makes materials,
9
22000
2000
我對大自然如何製造材料感到著迷﹐
00:39
and there's a lot of sequence
10
24000
2000
對於如此精巧的工作﹐
00:41
to how they do such an exquisite job.
11
26000
2000
需要透過許多步驟才能完成。
00:43
Part of it is that these materials
12
28000
2000
部份的原因是因為這些材料
00:45
are macroscopic in structure,
13
30000
2000
雖然在結構上是肉眼可見的，
00:47
but they're formed at the nanoscale.
14
32000
2000
但卻是在奈米尺度下形成。
00:49
They're formed at the nanoscale,
15
34000
2000
它們是在奈米尺度下形成的，
00:51
and they use proteins that are coded by the genetic level
16
36000
3000
而且它們利用基因編碼的蛋白質
00:54
that allow them to build these really exquisite structures.
17
39000
3000
讓它們能夠製造出這些如此精巧的結構。
00:57
So something I think is very fascinating
18
42000
2000
所以讓我感到非常著迷的是
00:59
is what if you could give life
19
44000
3000
如果你可以將生命賦予給
01:02
to non-living structures,
20
47000
2000
無生命結構，
01:04
like batteries and like solar cells?
21
49000
2000
像是電池和太陽能電池？
01:06
What if they had some of the same capabilities
22
51000
2000
又或他們擁有些像鮑魚殼一樣
01:08
that an abalone shell did,
23
53000
2000
的能力，
01:10
in terms of being able
24
55000
2000
就是說可以
01:12
to build really exquisite structures
25
57000
2000
在室溫及室壓下
01:14
at room temperature and room pressure,
26
59000
2000
利用無毒化學物質，
01:16
using non-toxic chemicals
27
61000
2000
再加上無毒材料
01:18
and adding no toxic materials back into the environment?
28
63000
3000
來製造非常精巧的結構。
01:21
So that's the vision that I've been thinking about.
29
66000
3000
這是我正在想的願景。
01:24
And so what if you could grow a battery in a Petri dish?
30
69000
2000
如果可以在培養皿內製造電池會是怎樣的呢？
01:26
Or, what if you could give genetic information to a battery
31
71000
3000
又或如果你可以給電池基因訊息
01:29
so that it could actually become better
32
74000
2000
讓它可以隨著時間
01:31
as a function of time,
33
76000
2000
表現更好，
01:33
and do so in an environmentally friendly way?
34
78000
2000
而且又是用環保的方法﹖
01:35
And so, going back to this abalone shell,
35
80000
3000
所以﹐講回這個鮑魚殼，
01:38
besides being nano-structured,
36
83000
2000
除了是奈米結構，
01:40
one thing that's fascinating,
37
85000
2000
另外一個有趣的是
01:42
is when a male and a female abalone get together,
38
87000
2000
當一公和一母的鮑魚相會時，
01:44
they pass on the genetic information
39
89000
2000
他們會把「如何建造出這種精巧材料」的
01:46
that says, "This is how to build an exquisite material.
40
91000
3000
基因訊息傳遞下去。
01:49
Here's how to do it at room temperature and pressure,
41
94000
2000
這就是如何在室溫室壓下利用
01:51
using non-toxic materials."
42
96000
2000
無毒物質生產。」
01:53
Same with diatoms, which are shown right here, which are glasseous structures.
43
98000
3000
在矽藻上也是一樣，就是這種玻璃般的結構。
01:56
Every time the diatoms replicate,
44
101000
2000
每一次矽藻分裂，
01:58
they give the genetic information that says,
45
103000
2000
他們就會把這樣的基因訊息傳遞下去：
02:00
"Here's how to build glass in the ocean
46
105000
2000
「這是如何在海裡製造玻璃。
02:02
that's perfectly nano-structured.
47
107000
2000
完全是奈米尺度的。
02:04
And you can do it the same, over and over again."
48
109000
2000
而且你可以一而再、再而三地做相同的事情」
02:06
So what if you could do the same thing
49
111000
2000
所以如果你可以對太陽能電池或是電池
02:08
with a solar cell or a battery?
50
113000
2000
做同樣的事情？
02:10
I like to say my favorite biomaterial is my four year-old.
51
115000
3000
我會說我最喜歡的生物材料就是我的四歲小孩。
02:13
But anyone who's ever had, or knows, small children
52
118000
3000
任何一個有過或認識小朋友的人都知道
02:16
knows they're incredibly complex organisms.
53
121000
3000
他們是非常複雜的個體。
02:19
And so if you wanted to convince them
54
124000
2000
所以如果你想要說服他們
02:21
to do something they don't want to do, it's very difficult.
55
126000
2000
去做他們不想要做的事情﹐是非常困難的。
02:23
So when we think about future technologies,
56
128000
3000
所以當我們在思考未來的科技，
02:26
we actually think of using bacteria and virus,
57
131000
2000
我們會想利用細菌和病毒
02:28
simple organisms.
58
133000
2000
那樣簡單的生物體。
02:30
Can you convince them to work with a new toolbox,
59
135000
2000
你能不能說服它們用新的方法
02:32
so that they can build a structure
60
137000
2000
讓它們能夠建造出一個
02:34
that will be important to me?
61
139000
2000
對我有用的結構？
02:36
Also, when we think about future technologies,
62
141000
2000
而且，我們思考著有關未來的科技。
02:38
we start with the beginning of Earth.
63
143000
2000
我們從地球的開端講起。
02:40
Basically, it took a billion years
64
145000
2000
基本上，地球經過了幾十億年
02:42
to have life on Earth.
65
147000
2000
才有生命。
02:44
And very rapidly, they became multi-cellular,
66
149000
2000
且很快的，它們變成多細胞生物，
02:46
they could replicate, they could use photosynthesis
67
151000
3000
它們會複製﹐它們可以用光合作用
02:49
as a way of getting their energy source.
68
154000
2000
來取得它們能量的來源。
02:51
But it wasn't until about 500 million years ago --
69
156000
2000
但直到五千萬年前--
02:53
during the Cambrian geologic time period --
70
158000
2000
在寒武紀地質時期--
02:55
that organisms in the ocean started making hard materials.
71
160000
3000
生物才從海洋移到陸地。
02:58
Before that, they were all soft, fluffy structures.
72
163000
3000
在那之前，生物都是柔軟蓬鬆的結構。
03:01
And it was during this time
73
166000
2000
也是在這個時期
03:03
that there was increased calcium and iron
74
168000
2000
環境中的鈣、鐵和矽
03:05
and silicon in the environment,
75
170000
2000
逐漸增加。
03:07
and organisms learned how to make hard materials.
76
172000
3000
然後生物們學會製造出硬的材料。
03:10
And so that's what I would like be able to do --
77
175000
2000
那就是我想要做的--
03:12
convince biology
78
177000
2000
說服生物學界
03:14
to work with the rest of the periodic table.
79
179000
2000
與週期表上的其他元素合作。
03:16
Now if you look at biology,
80
181000
2000
現在如果你看看生物學中，
03:18
there's many structures like DNA and antibodies
81
183000
2000
有很多像是DNA和抗體
03:20
and proteins and ribosomes that you've heard about
82
185000
2000
還有蛋白質和核糖體這些你有聽過的東西
03:22
that are already nano-structured.
83
187000
2000
都已經是奈米結構的。
03:24
So nature already gives us
84
189000
2000
所以自然界早已經給了我們
03:26
really exquisite structures on the nanoscale.
85
191000
2000
在奈米尺度下如此精巧的結構。
03:28
What if we could harness them
86
193000
2000
如果我們能夠駕馭它們
03:30
and convince them to not be an antibody
87
195000
2000
說服它們不要當抗體
03:32
that does something like HIV?
88
197000
2000
就像HIV那樣﹖
03:34
But what if we could convince them
89
199000
2000
或是如果我們可以說服它們
03:36
to build a solar cell for us?
90
201000
2000
為我們製造太陽能電池﹖
03:38
So here are some examples: these are some natural shells.
91
203000
2000
所以這是一些例子：這些自然的貝殼。
03:40
There are natural biological materials.
92
205000
2000
這是天然的生物材料。
03:42
The abalone shell here -- and if you fracture it,
93
207000
2000
這個鮑魚殼，如果你打裂它，
03:44
you can look at the fact that it's nano-structured.
94
209000
2000
你可以看到它是奈米結構的。
03:46
There's diatoms made out of SIO2,
95
211000
3000
而矽藻是由二氧化矽組成
03:49
and they're magnetotactic bacteria
96
214000
2000
且它們是超磁細菌
03:51
that make small, single-domain magnets used for navigation.
97
216000
3000
製造出微小、單一結構磁鐵來幫助導航。
03:54
What all these have in common
98
219000
2000
共同點是
03:56
is these materials are structured at the nanoscale,
99
221000
2000
這些材料都是在奈米尺度上建造的，
03:58
and they have a DNA sequence
100
223000
2000
且他們都有DNA序列
04:00
that codes for a protein sequence
101
225000
2000
可以轉譯成蛋白質序列
04:02
that gives them the blueprint
102
227000
2000
給它們製造這些
04:04
to be able to build these really wonderful structures.
103
229000
2000
美好構造的藍圖。
04:06
Now, going back to the abalone shell,
104
231000
2000
現在，回到齙魚殼，
04:08
the abalone makes this shell by having these proteins.
105
233000
3000
鮑魚因為有這些蛋白質才能製造這個殼。
04:11
These proteins are very negatively charged.
106
236000
2000
這些蛋白質帶有大量負電。
04:13
And they can pull calcium out of the environment,
107
238000
2000
且它們可以在環境中吸引鈣，
04:15
put down a layer of calcium and then carbonate, calcium and carbonate.
108
240000
3000
鋪下一層鈣然後碳酸化、加鈣、再碳酸化。
04:18
It has the chemical sequences of amino acids,
109
243000
3000
它擁有氨基酸的化學序列，
04:21
which says, "This is how to build the structure.
110
246000
2000
說著：「這是如何建造結構。
04:23
Here's the DNA sequence, here's the protein sequence
111
248000
2000
這是DNA序列、這是蛋白質序列
04:25
in order to do it."
112
250000
2000
才能完成這件事。」
04:27
And so an interesting idea is, what if you could take any material that you wanted,
113
252000
3000
所以有趣的是，如果你可以選擇任何一種材料
04:30
or any element on the periodic table,
114
255000
2000
或是元素週期表上的任何一個元素，
04:32
and find its corresponding DNA sequence,
115
257000
3000
然後找到它對應的DNA序列，
04:35
then code it for a corresponding protein sequence
116
260000
2000
將它轉譯成相對的蛋白質序列
04:37
to build a structure, but not build an abalone shell --
117
262000
3000
來建造一種結構，但不是建造鮑魚殼--
04:40
build something that, through nature,
118
265000
2000
透過大自然來建造出一個
04:42
it has never had the opportunity to work with yet.
119
267000
3000
大自然還沒有機會建造的東西。
04:45
And so here's the periodic table.
120
270000
2000
還有這是個元素週期表。
04:47
And I absolutely love the periodic table.
121
272000
2000
我超愛元素週期表的。
04:49
Every year for the incoming freshman class at MIT,
122
274000
3000
每年MIT進來的大一新生
04:52
I have a periodic table made that says,
123
277000
2000
我都會給他們一張元素週期表在上面寫著：
04:54
"Welcome to MIT. Now you're in your element."
124
279000
3000
「歡迎來到MIT。現在你在你的元素中了。」
04:57
And you flip it over, and it's the amino acids
125
282000
3000
然後你把它翻過來就是氨基酸
05:00
with the PH at which they have different charges.
126
285000
2000
以及它們在不同酸鹼度時的不同電荷。
05:02
And so I give this out to thousands of people.
127
287000
3000
所以我給了好幾千人這樣的表。
05:05
And I know it says MIT, and this is Caltech,
128
290000
2000
我知道它上面寫著是MIT﹐而這裡是加州理工學院，
05:07
but I have a couple extra if people want it.
129
292000
2000
但我這有多出來的表﹐如果有人想要的話。
05:09
And I was really fortunate
130
294000
2000
且我很幸運的
05:11
to have President Obama visit my lab this year
131
296000
2000
今年歐巴馬總統來MIT參觀的時候
05:13
on his visit to MIT,
132
298000
2000
參觀到我的實驗室，
05:15
and I really wanted to give him a periodic table.
133
300000
2000
而我真的很想要給他一張元素週期表。
05:17
So I stayed up at night, and I talked to my husband,
134
302000
2000
所以我熬夜跟我老公討論：
05:19
"How do I give President Obama a periodic table?
135
304000
3000
「我要如何給歐巴馬總統一張元素週期表呢？」
05:22
What if he says, 'Oh, I already have one,'
136
307000
2000
如果他說：「喔！我已經有一張了。」
05:24
or, 'I've already memorized it'?" (Laughter)
137
309000
2000
或是「我已經背起來了」的話那我該怎麼辦？
05:26
And so he came to visit my lab
138
311000
2000
所以他來到了我的實驗室
05:28
and looked around -- it was a great visit.
139
313000
2000
到處晃晃 -- 那是一個很棒的拜訪。
05:30
And then afterward, I said,
140
315000
2000
而之後我跟他說：
05:32
"Sir, I want to give you the periodic table
141
317000
2000
「總統，我想要給你這張元素週期表，
05:34
in case you're ever in a bind and need to calculate molecular weight."
142
319000
4000
以備你在處於困境時會需要計算分子量。」
05:38
And I thought molecular weight sounded much less nerdy
143
323000
2000
而且我覺得比起分子質量
05:40
than molar mass.
144
325000
2000
分子量聽起來比較不會有那麼書呆子的感覺。
05:42
And so he looked at it,
145
327000
2000
然後他看了一下
05:44
and he said,
146
329000
2000
接著說﹐
05:46
"Thank you. I'll look at it periodically."
147
331000
2000
「謝謝你。我會週期性地去看它。」
05:48
(Laughter)
148
333000
2000
（笑聲）
05:50
(Applause)
149
335000
4000
（掌聲）
05:54
And later in a lecture that he gave on clean energy,
150
339000
3000
而之後他在一個乾淨能源的演講中
05:57
he pulled it out and said,
151
342000
2000
把它拿出來說：
05:59
"And people at MIT, they give out periodic tables."
152
344000
2000
「MIT那邊的人會分發元素週期表。」
06:01
So basically what I didn't tell you
153
346000
3000
所以基本上我沒有跟你們說的是
06:04
is that about 500 million years ago, organisms starter making materials,
154
349000
3000
大約五億年前，生物體開始製造材料，
06:07
but it took them about 50 million years to get good at it.
155
352000
2000
但他們花了大約五千萬年才擅長製造材料。
06:09
It took them about 50 million years
156
354000
2000
他們花了大約五千萬年
06:11
to learn how to perfect how to make that abalone shell.
157
356000
2000
才學會如何完美地製造出鮑魚殼。
06:13
And that's a hard sell to a graduate student. (Laughter)
158
358000
2000
而且那樣是很難推銷給研究生的。
06:15
"I have this great project -- 50 million years."
159
360000
3000
「我有一個很棒的方案 -- 要花五千萬年的。」
06:18
And so we had to develop a way
160
363000
2000
所以我們需要發展出一個
06:20
of trying to do this more rapidly.
161
365000
2000
可以更快做到的方法。
06:22
And so we use a virus that's a non-toxic virus
162
367000
2000
所以我們利用病毒，
06:24
called M13 bacteriophage
163
369000
2000
一個叫做M13的無毒噬菌體，
06:26
that's job is to infect bacteria.
164
371000
2000
它們的工作是感染細菌。
06:28
Well it has a simple DNA structure
165
373000
2000
它有很簡單的DNA結構，
06:30
that you can go in and cut and paste
166
375000
2000
讓你可以在裡面複製和貼上
06:32
additional DNA sequences into it.
167
377000
2000
新加的DNA序列。
06:34
And by doing that, it allows the virus
168
379000
2000
這麼做可以讓病毒
06:36
to express random protein sequences.
169
381000
3000
表現隨機蛋白質序列。
06:39
And this is pretty easy biotechnology.
170
384000
2000
這是非常簡單的生化技術。
06:41
And you could basically do this a billion times.
171
386000
2000
而且基本上可以重複幾億次。
06:43
And so you can go in and have a billion different viruses
172
388000
2000
所以你可以進到幾億種
06:45
that are all genetically identical,
173
390000
2000
基因序列相同的病毒中，
06:47
but they differ from each other based on their tips,
174
392000
2000
它們之間唯一不同的在於它們尖端上的
06:49
on one sequence
175
394000
2000
一個序列
06:51
that codes for one protein.
176
396000
2000
轉譯出一個蛋白質。
06:53
Now if you take all billion viruses,
177
398000
2000
現在如果你拿這幾億種病毒，
06:55
and you can put them in one drop of liquid,
178
400000
2000
把它們放進一滴液體中，
06:57
you can force them to interact with anything you want on the periodic table.
179
402000
3000
你可以迫使他們跟週期表上的任何元素互動。
07:00
And through a process of selection evolution,
180
405000
2000
透過選擇性進化，
07:02
you can pull one out of a billion that does something that you'd like it to do,
181
407000
3000
你可以在這幾億種病毒中找到一株能做到你想要它做的事的病毒，
07:05
like grow a battery or grow a solar cell.
182
410000
2000
像是會製造電池或是生產太陽能電池的病毒。
07:07
So basically, viruses can't replicate themselves; they need a host.
183
412000
3000
所以基本上，病毒不能自行複製，他們需要有寄主才行。
07:10
Once you find that one out of a billion,
184
415000
2000
當你找到你要的那株病毒，
07:12
you infect it into a bacteria,
185
417000
2000
你可以感染細菌，
07:14
and you make millions and billions of copies
186
419000
2000
你就可以得到幾千幾萬的
07:16
of that particular sequence.
187
421000
2000
相同序列的複製品。
07:18
And so the other thing that's beautiful about biology
188
423000
2000
還有生物學上另一個有趣的地方
07:20
is that biology gives you really exquisite structures
189
425000
2000
就是生物可以給你非常精巧的結構
07:22
with nice link scales.
190
427000
2000
且帶有好的鏈接效應。
07:24
And these viruses are long and skinny,
191
429000
2000
這些病毒是又長又瘦的，
07:26
and we can get them to express the ability
192
431000
2000
且我們可以讓它們表現出
07:28
to grow something like semiconductors
193
433000
2000
可用來生產電池
07:30
or materials for batteries.
194
435000
2000
像半導體或其他類似材料的能力。
07:32
Now this is a high-powered battery that we grew in my lab.
195
437000
3000
這是一個在我們實驗室長出來的高性能電池。
07:35
We engineered a virus to pick up carbon nanotubes.
196
440000
3000
我們製造出能夠撿起奈米碳管的病毒。
07:38
So one part of the virus grabs a carbon nanotube.
197
443000
2000
就是說病毒的一部份可以抓住奈米碳管，
07:40
The other part of the virus has a sequence
198
445000
2000
另外一部份有一個序列
07:42
that can grow an electrode material for a battery.
199
447000
3000
讓它們能夠長出電池電極材料。
07:45
And then it wires itself to the current collector.
200
450000
3000
然後它會自己跟自己連成一個電流集電極。
07:48
And so through a process of selection evolution,
201
453000
2000
透過選擇性進化，
07:50
we went from being able to have a virus that made a crummy battery
202
455000
3000
我們從一株可以致造不怎麼樣的電池的病毒
07:53
to a virus that made a good battery
203
458000
2000
進步到一個可以製造好電池的病毒
07:55
to a virus that made a record-breaking, high-powered battery
204
460000
3000
再到一個破紀錄、高性能電池的病毒，
07:58
that's all made at room temperature, basically at the bench top.
205
463000
3000
且這都是在室溫下達成的，基本上就是在實驗桌上做出來的。
08:01
And that battery went to the White House for a press conference.
206
466000
3000
這個電池到白宮參加了一個記者招待會。
08:04
I brought it here.
207
469000
2000
我把它帶來這裡。
08:06
You can see it in this case -- that's lighting this LED.
208
471000
3000
你可以在這個盒子裡看到--正在照亮這個LED。
08:09
Now if we could scale this,
209
474000
2000
如果我們可以有規模的做，
08:11
you could actually use it
210
476000
2000
你可以用這電池
08:13
to run your Prius,
211
478000
2000
來驅動你的普銳斯，
08:15
which is my dream -- to be able to drive a virus-powered car.
212
480000
3000
這是我的夢想：可以開一臺病毒驅動的車。
08:19
But it's basically --
213
484000
2000
但基本上，
08:21
you can pull one out of a billion.
214
486000
3000
你可以從幾億種病毒裡面挑出一株。
08:24
You can make lots of amplifications to it.
215
489000
2000
你可以大量放大它。
08:26
Basically, you make an amplification in the lab,
216
491000
2000
基本上，你可以在實驗室裡放大。
08:28
and then you get it to self-assemble
217
493000
2000
然後你讓它自己組裝
08:30
into a structure like a battery.
218
495000
2000
成為一個類似電池的結構。
08:32
We're able to do this also with catalysis.
219
497000
2000
我們可以利用催化劑來做到。
08:34
This is the example
220
499000
2000
就像是利用光能
08:36
of photocatalytic splitting of water.
221
501000
2000
分解水分子。
08:38
And what we've been able to do
222
503000
2000
我們目前正在做的是
08:40
is engineer a virus to basically take dye-absorbing molecules
223
505000
3000
製造出一株病毒﹐讓可以吸收染料的分子們在
08:43
and line them up on the surface of the virus
224
508000
2000
它表面上排排站
08:45
so it acts as an antenna,
225
510000
2000
作用像是個接收器，
08:47
and you get an energy transfer across the virus.
226
512000
2000
這樣就能將能量轉移到病毒全身。
08:49
And then we give it a second gene
227
514000
2000
然後我們給它第二段基因，
08:51
to grow an inorganic material
228
516000
2000
讓它能夠長出無機材料，
08:53
that can be used to split water
229
518000
2000
可以用來將水分解成
08:55
into oxygen and hydrogen
230
520000
2000
氧氣和氫氣，
08:57
that can be used for clean fuels.
231
522000
2000
可以作為乾淨能源。
08:59
And I brought an example with me of that today.
232
524000
2000
我今天帶來了一個樣本。
09:01
My students promised me it would work.
233
526000
2000
我的學生跟我保證這個樣本是能運作的。
09:03
These are virus-assembled nanowires.
234
528000
2000
這些是病毒組裝的奈米電線。
09:05
When you shine light on them, you can see them bubbling.
235
530000
3000
當光照設在上面的時候，你可以看到這些氣泡。
09:08
In this case, you're seeing oxygen bubbles come out.
236
533000
3000
在這個例子中，你看到的是氧氣氣泡。
09:12
And basically, by controlling the genes,
237
537000
3000
基本上利用控制基因，
09:15
you can control multiple materials to improve your device performance.
238
540000
3000
你可以控制多種材料來改善你的器具效能。
09:18
The last example are solar cells.
239
543000
2000
最後一個例子是太陽能電池。
09:20
You can also do this with solar cells.
240
545000
2000
你也可以對太陽能電池這麼做。
09:22
We've been able to engineer viruses
241
547000
2000
我們可以製造
09:24
to pick up carbon nanotubes
242
549000
2000
可以拿起奈米碳管的病毒，
09:26
and then grow titanium dioxide around them --
243
551000
4000
然後在周圍形成二氧外鈦，
09:30
and use as a way of getting electrons through the device.
244
555000
4000
就可以用在器具中來傳遞電子。
09:34
And what we've found is through genetic engineering,
245
559000
2000
我們發現，透過基因工程，
09:36
we can actually increase
246
561000
2000
我們真的可以增加
09:38
the efficiencies of these solar cells
247
563000
3000
這些太陽能電池的效能
09:41
to record numbers
248
566000
2000
讓這類染色敏感的系統
09:43
for these types of dye-sensitized systems.
249
568000
3000
達到新的境界。
09:46
And I brought one of those as well
250
571000
2000
我也帶來了一個這樣的東西，
09:48
that you can play around with outside afterward.
251
573000
3000
演講完畢後你們可以到外面玩一玩。
09:51
So this is a virus-based solar cell.
252
576000
2000
這是個以病毒為建立基礎的太陽能電池。
09:53
Through evolution and selection,
253
578000
2000
透過演化和挑選，
09:55
we took it from an eight percent efficiency solar cell
254
580000
3000
我們將一個百分之八效能的太陽能電池
09:58
to an 11 percent efficiency solar cell.
255
583000
3000
增加到百分之11效能。
10:01
So I hope that I've convinced you
256
586000
2000
所以我希望我已經說服了你們，
10:03
that there's a lot of great, interesting things to be learned
257
588000
3000
關於大自然如何製造材料﹐
10:06
about how nature makes materials --
258
591000
2000
有很多很棒、很有趣的事情等著我們去學習。
10:08
and taking it the next step
259
593000
2000
然後再進一步的，
10:10
to see if you can force,
260
595000
2000
看你們是否可以用強迫的方式，
10:12
or whether you can take advantage of how nature makes materials,
261
597000
2000
或是利用大自然製造材料的方法
10:14
to make things that nature hasn't yet dreamed of making.
262
599000
3000
來製造出一些大自然還沒想到要去做的東西。
10:17
Thank you.
263
602000
2000
謝謝。
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Angela Belcher - Biological engineerAngela Belcher looks to nature for inspiration on how to engineer viruses to create extraordinary new materials.
Why you should listen
With a bachelors in Creative Studies and a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry, Angela Belcher has made a career out of finding surprising and innovative solutions to energy problems.
As head of the Biomolecular Materials Group at MIT, Belcher brings together the fields of materials chemistry, electrical engineering and molecular biology to engineer viruses that can create batteries and clean energy sources. A MacArthur Fellow, she also founded Cambrios Technologies, a Cambridge-based startup focused on applying her work with natural biological systems to the manufacture and assembly of electronic, magnetic and other commercially important materials. TIME magazine named her a climate-change hero in 2007.
Watch an animation of Angela Belcher's life story >>
Angela Belcher | Speaker | TED.com