Snails with implanted biofuel cells produce electricity

Nature : Garden snails are one of several creatures that have been implanted with biofuel cells that extract electricity from glucose and oxygen in their blood. Evgeny Katz and colleagues of Clarkson University in New York reported in last week’s Journal of the American Chemical Society that the snails generate electricity when they’re connected to an external circuit via implanted electrodes. Beetles and cockroaches have also been equipped with biofuel cells. One potential application would be the use of biocompatible fuel cells in humans to power small devices like pacemakers. While batteries already exist for implanted medical devices, smaller biofuel cells cold provide a more convenient and longer-lasting source of power for them.