Literary critic and journalist Maya Jaggi, who led the judging panel, said Tan's novel had "stylistic poise and probing intelligence".

BBC: Tan Twan Eng wins Man Asian literary prize

Inspired, Jaggi tested configurations in a lab and worked with a muffler shop to install a prototype on a car.

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Jaggi said the novel was "about guilt and atonement and how love transforms people's conceptions of themselves and what they've done".

BBC: Tan Twan Eng wins Man Asian literary prize

Jaggi says he determined that once the algae is done with it, 70% of the carbon dioxide is neutralized and out comes oxygen, nitrogen and water.

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