Cars could be running on algae in the future
As it transpires, algae - slimy, fast-growing and full of fat - is fast gaining ground as a potential renewable energy source for the future.
Experts are intrigued at its ability to gobble up carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, while living happily in places that are not needed for food crops.
Algae like mosquito-infested swamps, for example filthy pools, and even waste water. And while no one has found a way to mass produce cheap fuel from algae yet, the race is hotting up for certain companies.
University labs and start-up companies across the US are getting involved. Over the summer, the first large corporation joined in, when ExxonMobil said it would sink $600 million (£360 million) into algae research in a partnership with a California biotechnology company.
If the research is successful, scientists hope that they will eventually find a cost-effective way to convert lipids, or fatty acids, from algae ponds into fuel, then pump it into cars, trucks and jets.
One of the factors generating enthusiasm is algae's huge appetite for carbon dioxide - a by-product of burning fossil fuels.
So with all this talk of peak oil and so on, this could be a solution in part for our future energy needs. Expert believe this may become a reality not in 20 years but maybe 4-5 years.