http://www.physorg.com/news85857909.html

Way back, I used to play with my new "Vaccum Tube Voltmeter" reading voltages between various body locations. The gut is a dynamo! E.L.Earnhardt

"Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, is a kind of microbial superhero. In addition to generating electricity, MR-1 and its relatives can “breathe” metal, clean up toxic residue in water and even keep brass, iron, copper and aluminum corrosion free. One of the most exciting things is that the microbes can use such a wide variety of fuels — ordinary milk would work, but so would honey or a dead fish — to make the current flow. MR-1 have been successfully fed 75 different types of carbon-containing compounds. In another joint project, a lab built a simple battery with two different kinds of metal in a liquid medium, electrons flowing through a wire from one metal to the other. Without MR-1, the battery runs for a few days, and then runs down. But when researchers added MR-1 to this setup, creating a bacterial battery, the power steadily increased during the 90-day experiment. Much like what happens chemically in a regular battery, bacteria in fuel cells can strip electrons from organic material and produce an electric current." From the physorg.com article.

Wow, this could be fodder for a good science fiction book or movie. MR-1 mutants escape lab and start eating carbon-based lifeforms, including humans. As their glowing remains build up higher electrical charges, arcing shocks further victims resulting in widespread panic. Can the scientists devise a quick way to save humanity? (If a filmmaker like Steven Spielberg or George Lucas picks up on this concept, please include me in the royalties.)

Seriously, if a microbial fuel cell could be produced that is capable of powering small devices that might include tiny surveillance planes and environmental sensors, maybe in larger banks of batteries or with improved efficiency, even cars might be powered from them. This research looks very promising.