Sweet Complexity exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2013
1,306 views · Published 4 June 2013 · 2:54 · Indexed 4 November 2026
Channel: The Royal Society · 2013 · Science & Technology
Visit the Sweet Complexity exhibit at The Summer Science Exhibition 2013 http://sse.royalsociety.org/2013/ find out more on our blog http://sugar-complexity.tumblr.com/ and tweet us @sugarcomplexity Sugars (or carbohydrates) have a very special role in Nature. Sugars are the main components of all living systems around us and provide the greatest part of the biomass on Earth, both on land and in the sea. Sugars are the first products of photosynthesis in plants, algae and cyanobacteria, where the energy of sunlight is used to convert carbon dioxide and water directly to sugars. Sugars have two major roles in living systems: they provide a source of energy and they are the starting point for most biomaterials. Sugars have great potential for applications in biotechnology and scientists are working to find out how we can make use of these amazing molecules to generate new materials, food and health products for modern society. Sugars will help society to switch from using 'hydrocarbons' to 'carbohydrates' and will be key to developing and manufacturing a wide range of products with low-carbon footprint from sustainable resources.
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