New pathway engineered into plants lets them suck up more CO₂

Taiwanese researchers engineered a new metabolic pathway in plants to enhance carbon dioxide absorption. The "McG cycle" allows plants to incorporate carbon more efficiently, producing two-carbon molecules that feed directly into lipid production without releasing carbon dioxide back into the air. Test plants grew 2-3 times larger, produced more leaves and seeds, and accumulated 100 times more triglycerides, potentially revolutionizing plant-based carbon capture and biofuel production.