Garbage is a big problem. Even with so many of us doing our bit to help out with recycling, the amount of unrecyclable and discarded plastics in the US alone comes close to 30 million tonnes annually, thanks to things like disposable coffee cups (2.5 billion of which are thrown away by Americans every year). We’re looking at you,Starbucks.
Now, for the first time, researchers have found detailed evidence that bacteria in an animal’s gut can safely biodegrade plastic and potentially help reduce the environmental impact of plastic in landfill and elsewhere. The animal in question? The humble mealworm – which turns out to be not so humble after all.
HT/ Frank B.
They could have just asked the people that raise and sell them commercially can and can’t ship them in.
That they, and crickets eat a lot of packaging materials has been known to the industry for a long time.
MANY years ago, I read a science fiction story that revolved around the development of bacteria to digest plastics–and the consequences when they escaped into the London Underground. (The bacteria digested all the electrical insulation).
Michael Chrichton touched on the same idea in the original “Andromeda Strain”.
This scares the hell out of me.
Researchers often don’t consider the unintended consequences of their discoveries.
Really. though–they probably won’t cause a disaster with this before someone deploys an EMP weapon and…….(I don’t think I’ll go there–too damn depressing)
Tell liberals plastic is a health food. Problem solved.
In a related story: Scientists discover that mealworms emit massive amounts of greenhouse gasses! We’re all going to die!
Tell mealworms that liberals are food. Problem solved.
Mealworms are Soylent Brown
Yep. Here I was thinking mealworm ranches were going to be the next decade’s growth industry. Let’s give this conundrum to the California greenies and watch them twist themselves up into knots over which is more important.
It wuz never easy for me. I wuz born a poor black child. I remember the days, sittin’ on the porch with my family, singin’ and dancin’ while Daddy raised mealworms and grew dental floss…
Now tell me–was this discovery made by scientists with STEM degrees, or a bunch of Women’s Studies majors?
Starbucks has been using paper cups forever.