Turkish scientists make biofuel for airplanes out of algae

There’s a lab by the shores of the Black Sea, where researchers are turning algae into biofuel — a promising form of renewable energy, because it can grow in areas unsuitable for farmland. Technical issues and high costs have derailed most algae biofuel development, but researchers in Turkey say they’ve developed a way to blend the substance with jet fuel at a 10:1 ratio. That’s good for the climate, because airplanes are responsible for 2.5% of all human-induced carbon emissions. The researchers are hoping to have their first demonstration flight by the end of the year. The science is one thing, but proving it’s financially possible has proved to be an even greater challenge.