For decades, scientists have searched for cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels, looking everywhere from algae and bacteria to agricultural waste. In 2008, one of the most unexpected discoveries came from deep inside the South American rainforest.

Fungus that makes diesel: In 2008, scientists uncovered Gliocladium roseum, a fungus in Patagonia that produces mycodiesel, a diesel-like fuel, offering potential as an innovative…

For decades, scientists have searched for cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels, looking everywhere from algae and bacteria to agricultural waste. In 2008, one of the most…