Breaking the photosynthetic monopoly on carbohydrate production through artificial synthesis.

Artificial carbohydrate synthesis approaches may surpass photosynthesis by overcoming its fundamental limitations, with potential to revolutionize sustainable carbon fixation.

• Why it matters: Photosynthesis's inefficiencies and spatial constraints limit its ability to meet human demands for carbon fixation, creating a need for alternative methods that can operate more effectively and flexibly.
• What they did: The review examines three main strategies—direct electrochemical CO₂ reduction, synthetic enzymatic cascades, and hybrid bio-artificial systems—and discusses integration challenges like cofactor regeneration, catalyst selectivity, and economic viability.
• The result: Combining AI-driven catalyst design, modular synthetic biology, and renewable energy could enable practical, distributed artificial carbohydrate production, fostering new applications in agriculture, manufacturing, and circular carbon economies.