Scientists Discover Plastic-Eating Worm
Paolo Bombelli, who was the lead author on a paper published in Current Biology, was able to discover a caterpillar, known as a wax worm, that is able to eat through plastic. The worm, known officially as Galleria Mellonella, is often used as fish bait and is also considered as a pest by beekeepers, as it eats through beeswax. Bombelli, who is a bee keeper himself, was puzzled one day when he saw holes in plastic bags where he placed wax worms.
At first Bombelli thought that the plastic that was used was biodegradable, but after a few more tries with non-biodegradable plastic, he found out that the worms were eating through it as well.
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Related: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific garbage patch, also described as the Pacific trash vortex , is a gyre of marine debris particles in the central North Pacific Ocean discovered between 1985 and 1988. It is located roughly between 135°W to 155°W and 35°N and 42°N. [1] The patch extends over an indeterminate area of widely varying range depending on the degree of plastic concentration used to define the affected area.
The patch is characterized by exceptionally high relative concentrations of pelagic plastics, chemical sludge and other debris that have been trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Gyre. [2]
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This may turn out to be a very important discovery-- one that might help solve a major world problem!
I guess George Carlin was right ...
Now if they work in my septic tank too......hmmmmm.......