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Can biotechnology save the developing world?
Learn how the industry hopes to ease the burden of disease, secure the food supply, and provide more affordable energy.

Connect and develop with Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, the sponsor of the debut issue of the magazine.

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Microbial fuel cells need considerable improvement before they are ready to be used in applications.

Microbial fuel cells use bacteria to collect energy from organic fuels - such as carbohydrates, proteins, and even raw sewage - and turn it into electricity. Although this technology promises clean energy, it remains very inefficient.

This bar chart shows the recent progress in power output of microbial fuel cells using wastewater (yellow) or chemicals (brown) as the fuel, with each bar based on the highest realistic output reported for that year.

The inset graph shows a collection of results from individual experiments. Despite ongoing efficiency improvements, the output goals, shown at the far right in the main graph, reveal that much more research lies ahead.