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One main goal in the renewable energy field is to find an efficient, inexpensive way to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen could then be used as a fuel source for vehicles or fuel cells. Typically, an electric current breaks the water down. Now, there’s a new water-splitter: a virus. MIT’s Angela Belcher took her cue from plants, where special pigments¹ capture solar energy in photosynthesis², involving the splitting of water.

Belcher and her team took a harmless virus called M13. They engineered it so that one end carries a catalyst³—iridium oxide⁴. Bound at the other end are light-sensitive pigments, zinc⁵ porphyrins. The porphyrins capture light energy, and transmit it along the virus, acting⁶ as a wire, to the other end, activating⁷ the catalyst. Which splits water into oxygen and the constituents⁸ of hydrogen, a proton and electron. The work appears in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

The scientists are working on ways to recombine the protons and electrons back into hydrogen atoms and then molecules⁹ of H2. They’re also seeking a cheaper catalyst than iridium. But the work could light one path to the eventual¹⁰ production of cleaner energy.

Thanks for the minute for Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Cynthia Graber.

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1 pigments
n.（粉状）颜料( pigment的名词复数 )；天然色素
参考例句：
The Romans used natural pigments on their fabrics and walls. 古罗马人在织物和墙壁上使用天然颜料。来自辞典例句 The original white lead pigments have oxidized and turned black. 最初的白色铅质颜料氧化后变成了黑色。来自辞典例句

2 photosynthesis
n.光合作用
参考例句：
In apple trees photosynthesis occurs almost exclusively in the leaves.苹果树的光合作用几乎只发生在叶内。 Chloroplasts are the structures in which photosynthesis happens.叶绿体就是光合作用发生的地方。

3 catalyst
n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事
参考例句：
A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。 The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

4 oxide
n.氧化物
参考例句：
Oxide is usually seen in our daily life.在我们的日常生活中氧化物很常见。 How can you get rid of this oxide coating?你们该怎样除去这些氧化皮？

5 zinc
n.锌；vt.在...上镀锌
参考例句：
Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。 Zinc is used to protect other metals from corrosion.锌被用来保护其他金属不受腐蚀。

6 acting
n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的
参考例句：
Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。 During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

7 activating
活动的，活性的
参考例句：
"I didn't say we'd got to stop activating the masses! “我并没说就此不发动！来自子夜部分 Presumably both the very small size and activating influence of fluorine atoms contribute to this exception. 这大概是由于氟原子半径小和活性高这两个原因的影响，氟原子对这种例外做出了贡献。

8 constituents
n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素
参考例句：
She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。 Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。来自《简明英汉词典》

9 molecules
分子( molecule的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。 Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

10 eventual
adj.最后的，结局的，最终的
参考例句：
Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。 Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。