Comment on The year is 50424
trxxruraxvr@lemmy.world 3 months ago
It probably won’t be that long before some organism evolves the ability to digest plastic.
MindTraveller@lemmy.ca 3 months ago
Comment on The year is 50424
trxxruraxvr@lemmy.world 3 months ago
It probably won’t be that long before some organism evolves the ability to digest plastic.
Icalasari@fedia.io 3 months ago
Already exists, actually. Just not widespread yet
trxxruraxvr@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Cool, dient know that. Now just hope they don’t make us sick or we’re really screwed. With all the microplastics in our bodies they’re going to be everywhere.
DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 3 months ago
The waste is toxic. Because the input is toxic, but locked into relatively stable polymers, until something breaks it down.
Signtist@lemm.ee 3 months ago
Toxicity isn’t as simple as “toxic = toxic + toxic.” While some byproducts of plastic breakdown are toxic, the bacteria are further dissolving those as well, going until they get glucose, as they wouldn’t be able to eat it if that wasn’t the end product. There are probably still some toxic byproducts that get excreted rather than broken down, but plastic breakdown already releases toxins under normal conditions, so that’s already a problem we’re going to have to tackle. If these bacteria can get past the first issue of breaking it down in the first place, then that’s a net positive.