A widely-used gas called syngas that is currently produced from fossil fuels can instead be made by an ’artificial leaf’ that uses only sunlight, carbon dioxide and water. This was inspired, say University of Cambridge, researchers, by the natural process by which plants use the energy from sunlight to turn carbon dioxide into food – and as such sets a new benchmark in the field of solar fuels. Syngas is currently made from a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and is used to produce a range of commodities, such as fuels, pharmaceuticals, plastics and fertilisers.