Scientists Develop Synthetic Carbon-Capturing Trees

Ever see a decorative fake tree and wonder what its purpose was? Sure, it makes the hotel lobby seem a little more lively I suppose, but in the end, it doesn't contribute to the environment in the way a living tree does. Or even a synthetic super tree, apparently.

According to PhysOrg, scientists have developed a tree that traps carbon dioxide from the air, much like real trees. However, these synthetic trees capture carbon dioxide at a rate roughly 1,000 times that of a normal tree. The synthetic tree "could absorb one ton of carbon dioxide per day, an amount equivalent to that produced by about 20 cars, on average".

Oddly enough, they actually don't look like trees, but small buildings. While planting real trees is clearly the better route to go, these synthetic trees seem like they could be an alternative for crowded city spaces with high carbon dioxide emissions and no landscape for planting. Unfortunately, they cost about $30,000, so one wonders if we'll be seeing them any time soon.

To read more about the synthetic trees, visit PhysOrg.