Scientists found a caterpillar that eats plastic

[FfFfFfFF 58,118]

Each year, humanity churns out some 300 million tons of plastic and ships it around the world before dropping it into landfills. And the problem doesn’t stop there. In the half-century since plastic exploded into our lives, tiny bits of it have spread through our oceans, our ecosystems and even our bodies. So far, humanity has struggled to get rid of it.

But there may be new hope for a solution. Scientists say they’ve found a caterpillar that loves to eat this non-biodegradable waste.

“Nature is providing us with a great starting point to model how to effectively biodegrade plastic,” says biologist and study author Christophe LeMoine of Brandon University in Manitoba. “But we still have a few more puzzles to solve before using this technology”

One hint of hope has come from a group of organisms that scientists call plastivores. Like their name implies, these creatures will gladly eat some of the most common plastics. So far, researchers have discovered over 50 species of microorganisms, mostly bacteria and fungi, that can turn plastics into energy. And more recently, they’ve discovered several insect species that thrive on eating polyethylene, the primary plastic in single-use bags. 

LeMoine and his Brandon University team focused on one of these insects: caterpillar larvae of the greater wax moth. The researchers were particularly interested in how this caterpillar, together with the microorganisms in its gut — its microbiome — could break down and metabolize plastic. That work included separating out the bacteria from the waxworms’ gut and growing it on its own in the lab. They found that one particular species of bacteria could indeed survive on nothing but plastic for a year.

These caterpillars aren’t some mutant evolved for the modern world, either. These so-called waxworms are actually bee pests that invade beehives and live off the honeycomb.

Source: https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/scientists-found-a-caterpillar-that-eats-plastic-could-it-help-solve-our

[Babel 41,637]

These babies will clean up the planet when we’re no longer here. 💖

[ice bear 1]

i had a lot of reactions

-for a future full of moths 

- can't wait to never hear about this awesome ecologic solution anymore

- and they say evolution isn't real

[dit 46,738]

OMG are these the legends we all needed but didn't know about?! Imagine the earth is partially saved due to Caterpillars  Can we mass produce them and spread them everywhere plz?  

[Tayko 1,203]

Awww our earth has found a way to save our mess

[GaGaAst 13,124]

give that Caterpillar RONA sis too. It might like her considering it's unique taste 

[candle 136]

44 minutes ago, FfFfFfFF said:

So far, researchers have discovered over 50 species of microorganisms, mostly bacteria and fungi, that can turn plastics into energy. And more recently, they’ve discovered several insect species that thrive on eating polyethylene, the primary plastic in single-use bags. 

This is crazy to me omg. Biology really is that b*tch 

[Mindblown 6,744]

Can we talk about how you formatted this post like it was a news article? 

THE DESIGN THO. 

[mr.peter 3,562]

But does it kill or harm them ? 

[FfFfFfFF 58,118]

18 minutes ago, mr.peter said:

But does it kill or harm them ? 

Nope.

[Woolfsmck 2,763]

9 hours ago, FfFfFfFF said:

Each year, humanity churns out some 300 million tons of plastic and ships it around the world before dropping it into landfills. And the problem doesn’t stop there. In the half-century since plastic exploded into our lives, tiny bits of it have spread through our oceans, our ecosystems and even our bodies. So far, humanity has struggled to get rid of it.

But there may be new hope for a solution. Scientists say they’ve found a caterpillar that loves to eat this non-biodegradable waste.

“Nature is providing us with a great starting point to model how to effectively biodegrade plastic,” says biologist and study author Christophe LeMoine of Brandon University in Manitoba. “But we still have a few more puzzles to solve before using this technology”

One hint of hope has come from a group of organisms that scientists call plastivores. Like their name implies, these creatures will gladly eat some of the most common plastics. So far, researchers have discovered over 50 species of microorganisms, mostly bacteria and fungi, that can turn plastics into energy. And more recently, they’ve discovered several insect species that thrive on eating polyethylene, the primary plastic in single-use bags. 

LeMoine and his Brandon University team focused on one of these insects: caterpillar larvae of the greater wax moth. The researchers were particularly interested in how this caterpillar, together with the microorganisms in its gut — its microbiome — could break down and metabolize plastic. That work included separating out the bacteria from the waxworms’ gut and growing it on its own in the lab. They found that one particular species of bacteria could indeed survive on nothing but plastic for a year.

These caterpillars aren’t some mutant evolved for the modern world, either. These so-called waxworms are actually bee pests that invade beehives and live off the honeycomb.

Source: https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/scientists-found-a-caterpillar-that-eats-plastic-could-it-help-solve-our

can we control what plastic they eat?

 

What if plastic eating critters start eating get into shvt you want to keep....like your cat...or puter...ect..???????

[FfFfFfFF 58,118]

4 minutes ago, Woolfsmck said:

can we control what plastic they eat?

 

What if plastic eating critters start eating get into shvt you want to keep....like your cat...or puter...ect..???????

I don't think there are restrictions on what kind of plastic they could eat, or at least they don't mention it.

However, cats themselves are plastic free so not need to worry about that.

Spoiler

 

The article mentioned that they ate a plastic bag - if it's someone who needs to be concerned that's Katy Perry. 

 

 

 

[HotLikeMexico 6,540]

This guy from my hometown was on the local news already discovered bug that can Eat styrofoam. I’m surprised this wasn’t reported more. It was just in local news. 
 

anyways this is cute an all but that doesn’t mean we can just can keep using plastic. This isn’t a free pass. We still have to be conscience about the things we use and how we use them. We need still be “green” with our choices. 

[Dramatica 13,698]

Yay, now we only need to find a caterpillar that's able to eat humans alive and the planet is saved

[Blastertoyo 22,734]

We’re plastic but we’ll till have fun