Algae that can fix nitrogen – thanks to a tiny cell structure

Re:Algae that can fix nitrogen – thanks to a tiny cell struc... by 00N8 on Sunday April 14, 2024 @04:19PM (#40034098)

If atmospheric nitrogen dropped by half, I'd imagine the effects would be pretty significant for aircraft, birds & internal combustion engines. Rocket launches would become more efficient (less drag), but reentry would be more challenging, w/ less overall drag & proportionally more oxidizing effect when aero-braking

Most engines would probably run hotter & weaker w/out as much nitrogen to use as a working fluid (maybe we'd compensate for this w/ water injection & get even better performance though?)

The speed of sound would decease slightly, while the speed needed to generate lift at a given altitude would increase. This would definitely affect airplanes, e.g. a plane that can cruise at 15k feet but not 30k feet might not be able to reach 15k feet anymore

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Re:Algae that can fix nitrogen – thanks to a tiny cell struc... by Forge36 on Sunday April 14, 2024 @05:17PM (#40034564)

Nitrogen is 77% of the atmosphere by weight.

For reference at 1 mile is Denver Colorado (which while researching is enough to cause altitude sickness) with 18% less atmosphere. Water boils at 200° F.

If half the nitrogen was gone (38.5% of atmosphere), sea level world be equivalent to ~15,000 feet today) water would now boil at ~194.3° F.

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