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Perhaps it's a little tricky to put on and may look a bit weird but this futuristic helmet actually produces food while you wear it. What type of snacks are we talking about? Algae to be exact.
Before you turn your nose at algae, it's fair to mention it's an ingredient in foods you may already enjoy such as sushi, yogurt (look for carrageenan, an algae derrivative on the ingredient list) and ice cream (alginates are added to prevent the formation of ice crystals on the finished product). Feeling a bit more comfortable with the idea now?
The algae-producing helmet works by collecting the carbon dioxide emited by the wearer to feed a growing population of algae in the already present in the tubes. The carbon dioxide, coupled with sunshine, produces enough algae to actually feed a small crowd after being worn for a short while.
This ingenious idea is the branchild of Michael Burton and Michiko Nitta, known collectively as Burton Nitta. Here's how they describe their new ''algaculture'' project:
''Algaculture designs a new symbiotic relationship between humans and algae. It proposes a future where humans will be enhanced with algae living inside new bodily organs, allowing us to be semi-photosynthetic. Almost enabling us to become plant-like by gaining food from light. As such, we will be symbionts (meaning that both entities entirely depend on each other for survival), entering into a mutually beneficial relationship with the algae.''
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Algae A to Z: 26 Things You Didn't Know
Via Discovery News
