Blatant Reality

If a study was going to analyze computers to determine how their use affects our lives, you wouldn’t want the researchers to use data from the 90s, would you? I mean, the field of computing has exploded since the turn of the millenium and data from back then wouldn’t accurately protray how computers impact the modern person.

In an algae study I discussed a couple days ago, researchers seemed to have done just that.  In this study published in Environmental Science & Technology, researches had used algae production data from at least a decade ago.

In response, Andres Clarens the lead author of the study said he used the most recent data that he could, which was about 10 years old. Algae biofuel companies keep their research a closely guarded secret, he said.

Yes, companies have kept the most recent information as a closely guarded trade secret but that is no excuse to publish a research paper that doesn’t mention the severe lack of up to date information in big, bold letters. As with most emerging technologies like algae biofuels and computers, ten years is like a lifetime. In fact, ten years is probably many lifetimes, with many generations of technology being developed in that time period.

For example, this study doesn’t even look at algae fermentation technology like that developed by Solazyme. According to one recent study, this recent technology seems to be the most viable in the short-term to full scale commercial development but has a growth process so completely different then standard photosynthetic growth that this study has almost no relevance to it.

It is surprising that the study would ignore this promising technology when there is at least enough data out there to determine its economical viability.

Overall, by using this outdated data, the study cannot be taken as the current state of the algae field. It is better to look at it as showing where the field once was and remember that things have only advanced from there.