▲ 308 ▼ Plastic-eating insect discovered in Kenya (theconversation.com) submitted 2 years ago by Joker@sh.itjust.works to c/news@lemmy.world 36 comments fedilink hide all child comments
[–] teegus@sh.itjust.works 89 points 2 years ago (3 children) Interesting, but I wonder what they break it down to. Is it completely broken down or do they shit nanoplastics? permalink fedilink source hideshow 6 child comments replies: [–] CleoTheWizard@lemmy.world 93 points 2 years ago (1 child) At a quick glance they break it down into carbon dioxide at about a 50% consumption rate. The rest is excreted as biomass and degraded fragments (which I gather means shorter polymer chains and oxidation). Sounds really good if it’s true. Source permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Kushan@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago (2 children) I agree this is probably overall a good thing, but I worry if this bacteria thrives due to the amount of plastic around what that would mean for the amount of CO2 produced. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 7 points 2 years ago (1 child) It's funny, for years I've been downvoted or thought to be joking when I point out that putting non-biodegradable plastic into landfills is carbon sequestration. I seriously think it's a good idea, though. If people are concerned about carbon in the atmosphere then that's a good way to get it out for the long term. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] festus@lemmy.ca 27 points 2 years ago (2 children) That only works if the carbon in the plastic originally came from the atmosphere, but we use oil to make plastics. So increased demand for plastic = increased demand for oil, and that oil was already sequestered to begin with. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Vilian@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 years ago Yeah the oil was carbon sequestration we are just releasing it permalink fedilink source parent [–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 5 points 2 years ago Kind of, but frankly I think that's a self-defeating hair to split. What ultimately matters in the end is simply "is more carbon going into the atmosphere, or less?" It doesn't matter where the carbon is coming from, all that matters is that less carbon ends up in the atmosphere. If I have a plastic object and I send it for recycling or whatever, some of that carbon ends up in the atmosphere. Possibly all of it if it ends up being incinerated, since a lot of plastic "recycling" is not really recycling as you'd expect. If I put it in the landfill, on the other hand, the carbon is locked away effectively indefinitely. It doesn't matter where that plastic object came from, I'm just faced with a choice of what to do with it. permalink fedilink source parent [–] ripcord@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 child) ...bacteria? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Kushan@lemmy.world 0 points 2 years ago Whoops 😅 permalink fedilink source parent [–] WhyFlip@lemmy.world 17 points 2 years ago (1 child) They turn into 3-D printers. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] DarkDarkHouse@lemmy.sdf.org 19 points 2 years ago Wow just realised i’m technically a 3D printer. Aaand that’s enough internet for today. permalink fedilink source parent [–] IAmLamp@fedia.io 12 points 2 years ago And how much of the plastic remains in the food chain when animals eat the worms? This likely isn’t the good news that it appears to be on the surface. I know an old lady who swallowed a fly…. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] CleoTheWizard@lemmy.world 93 points 2 years ago (1 child) At a quick glance they break it down into carbon dioxide at about a 50% consumption rate. The rest is excreted as biomass and degraded fragments (which I gather means shorter polymer chains and oxidation). Sounds really good if it’s true. Source permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Kushan@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago (2 children) I agree this is probably overall a good thing, but I worry if this bacteria thrives due to the amount of plastic around what that would mean for the amount of CO2 produced. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 7 points 2 years ago (1 child) It's funny, for years I've been downvoted or thought to be joking when I point out that putting non-biodegradable plastic into landfills is carbon sequestration. I seriously think it's a good idea, though. If people are concerned about carbon in the atmosphere then that's a good way to get it out for the long term. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] festus@lemmy.ca 27 points 2 years ago (2 children) That only works if the carbon in the plastic originally came from the atmosphere, but we use oil to make plastics. So increased demand for plastic = increased demand for oil, and that oil was already sequestered to begin with. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Vilian@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 years ago Yeah the oil was carbon sequestration we are just releasing it permalink fedilink source parent [–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 5 points 2 years ago Kind of, but frankly I think that's a self-defeating hair to split. What ultimately matters in the end is simply "is more carbon going into the atmosphere, or less?" It doesn't matter where the carbon is coming from, all that matters is that less carbon ends up in the atmosphere. If I have a plastic object and I send it for recycling or whatever, some of that carbon ends up in the atmosphere. Possibly all of it if it ends up being incinerated, since a lot of plastic "recycling" is not really recycling as you'd expect. If I put it in the landfill, on the other hand, the carbon is locked away effectively indefinitely. It doesn't matter where that plastic object came from, I'm just faced with a choice of what to do with it. permalink fedilink source parent [–] ripcord@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 child) ...bacteria? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Kushan@lemmy.world 0 points 2 years ago Whoops 😅 permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Kushan@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago (2 children) I agree this is probably overall a good thing, but I worry if this bacteria thrives due to the amount of plastic around what that would mean for the amount of CO2 produced. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 7 points 2 years ago (1 child) It's funny, for years I've been downvoted or thought to be joking when I point out that putting non-biodegradable plastic into landfills is carbon sequestration. I seriously think it's a good idea, though. If people are concerned about carbon in the atmosphere then that's a good way to get it out for the long term. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] festus@lemmy.ca 27 points 2 years ago (2 children) That only works if the carbon in the plastic originally came from the atmosphere, but we use oil to make plastics. So increased demand for plastic = increased demand for oil, and that oil was already sequestered to begin with. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Vilian@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 years ago Yeah the oil was carbon sequestration we are just releasing it permalink fedilink source parent [–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 5 points 2 years ago Kind of, but frankly I think that's a self-defeating hair to split. What ultimately matters in the end is simply "is more carbon going into the atmosphere, or less?" It doesn't matter where the carbon is coming from, all that matters is that less carbon ends up in the atmosphere. If I have a plastic object and I send it for recycling or whatever, some of that carbon ends up in the atmosphere. Possibly all of it if it ends up being incinerated, since a lot of plastic "recycling" is not really recycling as you'd expect. If I put it in the landfill, on the other hand, the carbon is locked away effectively indefinitely. It doesn't matter where that plastic object came from, I'm just faced with a choice of what to do with it. permalink fedilink source parent [–] ripcord@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 child) ...bacteria? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Kushan@lemmy.world 0 points 2 years ago Whoops 😅 permalink fedilink source parent
[–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 7 points 2 years ago (1 child) It's funny, for years I've been downvoted or thought to be joking when I point out that putting non-biodegradable plastic into landfills is carbon sequestration. I seriously think it's a good idea, though. If people are concerned about carbon in the atmosphere then that's a good way to get it out for the long term. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] festus@lemmy.ca 27 points 2 years ago (2 children) That only works if the carbon in the plastic originally came from the atmosphere, but we use oil to make plastics. So increased demand for plastic = increased demand for oil, and that oil was already sequestered to begin with. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Vilian@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 years ago Yeah the oil was carbon sequestration we are just releasing it permalink fedilink source parent [–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 5 points 2 years ago Kind of, but frankly I think that's a self-defeating hair to split. What ultimately matters in the end is simply "is more carbon going into the atmosphere, or less?" It doesn't matter where the carbon is coming from, all that matters is that less carbon ends up in the atmosphere. If I have a plastic object and I send it for recycling or whatever, some of that carbon ends up in the atmosphere. Possibly all of it if it ends up being incinerated, since a lot of plastic "recycling" is not really recycling as you'd expect. If I put it in the landfill, on the other hand, the carbon is locked away effectively indefinitely. It doesn't matter where that plastic object came from, I'm just faced with a choice of what to do with it. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] festus@lemmy.ca 27 points 2 years ago (2 children) That only works if the carbon in the plastic originally came from the atmosphere, but we use oil to make plastics. So increased demand for plastic = increased demand for oil, and that oil was already sequestered to begin with. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Vilian@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 years ago Yeah the oil was carbon sequestration we are just releasing it permalink fedilink source parent [–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 5 points 2 years ago Kind of, but frankly I think that's a self-defeating hair to split. What ultimately matters in the end is simply "is more carbon going into the atmosphere, or less?" It doesn't matter where the carbon is coming from, all that matters is that less carbon ends up in the atmosphere. If I have a plastic object and I send it for recycling or whatever, some of that carbon ends up in the atmosphere. Possibly all of it if it ends up being incinerated, since a lot of plastic "recycling" is not really recycling as you'd expect. If I put it in the landfill, on the other hand, the carbon is locked away effectively indefinitely. It doesn't matter where that plastic object came from, I'm just faced with a choice of what to do with it. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Vilian@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 years ago Yeah the oil was carbon sequestration we are just releasing it permalink fedilink source parent
[–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 5 points 2 years ago Kind of, but frankly I think that's a self-defeating hair to split. What ultimately matters in the end is simply "is more carbon going into the atmosphere, or less?" It doesn't matter where the carbon is coming from, all that matters is that less carbon ends up in the atmosphere. If I have a plastic object and I send it for recycling or whatever, some of that carbon ends up in the atmosphere. Possibly all of it if it ends up being incinerated, since a lot of plastic "recycling" is not really recycling as you'd expect. If I put it in the landfill, on the other hand, the carbon is locked away effectively indefinitely. It doesn't matter where that plastic object came from, I'm just faced with a choice of what to do with it. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] ripcord@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 child) ...bacteria? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Kushan@lemmy.world 0 points 2 years ago Whoops 😅 permalink fedilink source parent
[–] WhyFlip@lemmy.world 17 points 2 years ago (1 child) They turn into 3-D printers. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] DarkDarkHouse@lemmy.sdf.org 19 points 2 years ago Wow just realised i’m technically a 3D printer. Aaand that’s enough internet for today. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] DarkDarkHouse@lemmy.sdf.org 19 points 2 years ago Wow just realised i’m technically a 3D printer. Aaand that’s enough internet for today. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] IAmLamp@fedia.io 12 points 2 years ago And how much of the plastic remains in the food chain when animals eat the worms? This likely isn’t the good news that it appears to be on the surface. I know an old lady who swallowed a fly…. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] SpruceBringsteen@lemmy.world 45 points 2 years ago (1 child) This is one of those stories that pops up every year and nothing is ever done with it. permalink fedilink source hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 2 years ago (2 children) Yep. This. Same thing with reddit "hey there's a cure for cancer and these ragtag students discovered this which will change the world!" 5 years later "............" permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Mongostein@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 years ago (1 child) Discovery gets bought for an obscene amount of money, NDA is signed, discovery is never spoken of again. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago (1 child) This is very rarely the case. Almost always they come across some draw back, that makes it completely impractical, and 5-10-15- whatever, years pass without anyone overcoming said drawback. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] isyasad@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 child) Cancer treatment also has had lots of improvements but they aren't newsworthy if they're not the Cure to Cancer™️ permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago Yeah, lots of people do not realize it is not one disease, it is unregulated cell growth, of many kinds, caused by many diseases. permalink fedilink source parent [–] catloaf@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago Mostly because it was found not to be effective in trials, or it had some side effect that made it a bad idea. See thalidomide for an example of what happens when you don't test properly. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 2 years ago (2 children) Yep. This. Same thing with reddit "hey there's a cure for cancer and these ragtag students discovered this which will change the world!" 5 years later "............" permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Mongostein@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 years ago (1 child) Discovery gets bought for an obscene amount of money, NDA is signed, discovery is never spoken of again. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago (1 child) This is very rarely the case. Almost always they come across some draw back, that makes it completely impractical, and 5-10-15- whatever, years pass without anyone overcoming said drawback. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] isyasad@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 child) Cancer treatment also has had lots of improvements but they aren't newsworthy if they're not the Cure to Cancer™️ permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago Yeah, lots of people do not realize it is not one disease, it is unregulated cell growth, of many kinds, caused by many diseases. permalink fedilink source parent [–] catloaf@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago Mostly because it was found not to be effective in trials, or it had some side effect that made it a bad idea. See thalidomide for an example of what happens when you don't test properly. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Mongostein@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 years ago (1 child) Discovery gets bought for an obscene amount of money, NDA is signed, discovery is never spoken of again. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago (1 child) This is very rarely the case. Almost always they come across some draw back, that makes it completely impractical, and 5-10-15- whatever, years pass without anyone overcoming said drawback. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] isyasad@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 child) Cancer treatment also has had lots of improvements but they aren't newsworthy if they're not the Cure to Cancer™️ permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago Yeah, lots of people do not realize it is not one disease, it is unregulated cell growth, of many kinds, caused by many diseases. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago (1 child) This is very rarely the case. Almost always they come across some draw back, that makes it completely impractical, and 5-10-15- whatever, years pass without anyone overcoming said drawback. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] isyasad@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 child) Cancer treatment also has had lots of improvements but they aren't newsworthy if they're not the Cure to Cancer™️ permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago Yeah, lots of people do not realize it is not one disease, it is unregulated cell growth, of many kinds, caused by many diseases. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] isyasad@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 child) Cancer treatment also has had lots of improvements but they aren't newsworthy if they're not the Cure to Cancer™️ permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago Yeah, lots of people do not realize it is not one disease, it is unregulated cell growth, of many kinds, caused by many diseases. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago Yeah, lots of people do not realize it is not one disease, it is unregulated cell growth, of many kinds, caused by many diseases. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago Mostly because it was found not to be effective in trials, or it had some side effect that made it a bad idea. See thalidomide for an example of what happens when you don't test properly. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] HomerianSymphony@lemmy.world 31 points 2 years ago (1 child) Instead of releasing a huge number of these insects into trash sites (which isn’t practical) Try it anyway! permalink fedilink source hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 34 points 2 years ago (3 children) Hmmm...... How to create an invasive species in 3...2....1... permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 6 child comments replies: [–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 25 points 2 years ago Finally, a clothes moth that can eat polyester permalink fedilink source parent [–] Etterra@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago They're mealworms of a species already found on numerous continents, I think it'll be fine. permalink fedilink source parent [–] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 years ago (2 children) Goodbye built human world ! permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 2 years ago About time! The kind of funny thing is that if this happened for real, the next big plastic product would just be pesticide impregnated plastics. And then we’d have pesticide microplastics everywhere! permalink fedilink source parent [–] pageflight@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 child) Back to building with stone, metal, and wood. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] catloaf@lemm.ee 1 point 2 years ago As if housing wasn't expensive enough already. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 34 points 2 years ago (3 children) Hmmm...... How to create an invasive species in 3...2....1... permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 6 child comments replies: [–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 25 points 2 years ago Finally, a clothes moth that can eat polyester permalink fedilink source parent [–] Etterra@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago They're mealworms of a species already found on numerous continents, I think it'll be fine. permalink fedilink source parent [–] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 years ago (2 children) Goodbye built human world ! permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 2 years ago About time! The kind of funny thing is that if this happened for real, the next big plastic product would just be pesticide impregnated plastics. And then we’d have pesticide microplastics everywhere! permalink fedilink source parent [–] pageflight@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 child) Back to building with stone, metal, and wood. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] catloaf@lemm.ee 1 point 2 years ago As if housing wasn't expensive enough already. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 25 points 2 years ago Finally, a clothes moth that can eat polyester permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Etterra@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago They're mealworms of a species already found on numerous continents, I think it'll be fine. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 years ago (2 children) Goodbye built human world ! permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 2 years ago About time! The kind of funny thing is that if this happened for real, the next big plastic product would just be pesticide impregnated plastics. And then we’d have pesticide microplastics everywhere! permalink fedilink source parent [–] pageflight@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 child) Back to building with stone, metal, and wood. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] catloaf@lemm.ee 1 point 2 years ago As if housing wasn't expensive enough already. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 2 years ago About time! The kind of funny thing is that if this happened for real, the next big plastic product would just be pesticide impregnated plastics. And then we’d have pesticide microplastics everywhere! permalink fedilink source parent
[–] pageflight@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 child) Back to building with stone, metal, and wood. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] catloaf@lemm.ee 1 point 2 years ago As if housing wasn't expensive enough already. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 1 point 2 years ago As if housing wasn't expensive enough already. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Tikiporch@lemmy.world 20 points 2 years ago (1 child) We're all plastic eating insects. permalink fedilink source hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] misterdoctor@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago And here I’ve been eating plastic insects this whole time like a fool permalink fedilink source parent
[–] misterdoctor@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago And here I’ve been eating plastic insects this whole time like a fool permalink fedilink source parent
[–] socialmedia@lemmy.world 20 points 2 years ago (1 child) Something eats these insects and then we in turn eat those somethings. This is not a way to save us from microplastics. Centuries from now that shit will still be in dirt particles all over the world. The best thing to be done is go back in time 100 years and stop people from making millions of tons of plastic bullshit. The second best thing is to stop making millions of tons of plastic bullshit. permalink fedilink source hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Manifish_Destiny@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago That entirely depends if the insect or bacteria or fungi turn it into a different chemical. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Manifish_Destiny@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago That entirely depends if the insect or bacteria or fungi turn it into a different chemical. permalink fedilink source parent
[+] perestroika@lemm.ee 16 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 child) [deleted] permalink fedilink source hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] SolarMonkey@slrpnk.net 8 points 2 years ago On the plus side, this does show that all the plastic we have put into the environment has been a niche energy source just waiting to be exploited. Now think about all the plastic surface area in the oceans and stuff, I bet there are other things, bacteria and microfauna, which are actively adapting to consume it. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] SolarMonkey@slrpnk.net 8 points 2 years ago On the plus side, this does show that all the plastic we have put into the environment has been a niche energy source just waiting to be exploited. Now think about all the plastic surface area in the oceans and stuff, I bet there are other things, bacteria and microfauna, which are actively adapting to consume it. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] ThatWeirdGuy1001@lemmy.world 16 points 2 years ago (1 child) It'll be exterminated for being "woke" and "caring about climate change" permalink fedilink source hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] carpelbridgesyndrome@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 years ago That's Kentucky not Kenya permalink fedilink source parent
[–] carpelbridgesyndrome@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 years ago That's Kentucky not Kenya permalink fedilink source parent
[–] crank0271@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago I have had it with these motherfcking mealworm larvae that are capable of consuming polystyrene on this motherfcking plane! permalink fedilink source
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