These Worms Eat Plastic. We Can Use That.

These worms can eat plastic, and researchers are trying to use them to completely change what happens to plastic trash... including turning it into some very surprising things. Here's what's happening.

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[Stormada]

From what I recall, the reason why this solution isn’t super widespread already is because it only works for specific types of plastic so evidently there’s a lot more research that needs to be done to allow this to work on a larger scale

[lirrobinson]

"Hmmm, this vanilla ice cream is good. Where did you get it?"

"A Gatorade bottle."

[johannes]

"This is the most delicious ice cream I've ever had. What's the secret ingredient?"

"Worm poop."

[taylor]

"There is plastic in my blood"
"No, it's in your food."

Edit: Love how people are making a big deal about this like I'm some boomer. Literally just a joke.

[ChizFri]

NileRed : “Turning my shopping bag collection into vanilla ice cream”

[kamisamatachinochinchinnon]

Breaking news: Florida man raises an army of worms to turn kardashians into ice cream 🍦

[fatmanchew]

Scientist: Beware of microplastics.
Also Scientist: Yummy microplastics.

[moon_studiosyt]

I already wanted to do a biochem &genetics degree (especially the course with a year in industry), this is just cementing this! I want to help with things like this in the future

[HazelTheNut]

These worms be contributing more to society than most humans.

[Eyedunno]

It's all fun and games until you get a worm infestation on your old video games and vinyl records.

[lauleqzxp]

this is literally how the videogame stray starts

[conlon]

I thought they were just going to dunk the worms in with the plastic waste, but I guess this makes more sense...

[michaelbell]

I love that research is really taking bugs and fungi and really boosting them to help restore the balance. Feels right to me, rather than creating more problems.

[theoneandonlyCameraMan]

It’s just crazy how most of the solutions for the biggest problems in the world are present in the simplest of things

[halewolf]

Now THAT'S recycling... 👏 👏 👏

Never in my life did I ever think that I'd hear someone say that plastic waste can be turned into vanilla ice cream 🤯

Here's to you, Mother Earth 😊🍦🌎

[wattcharger]

Sounds like a game which story suggests that some creatures were going to eat plastic waste but instead started eating metals - Stray 2022

[hahayess]

Maybe we can artificially produce those enzymes like we make insulin and eliminate worms from the equation

[jbpyle]

Now we need them to be aquatic so they can help with the ocean

[BrokeredHeart]

I just hope that all these biological solutions to plastic waste doesn't just encourage manufacturers and consumers to produce more single use disposable plastics. I know it's unavoidable at this time for certain industries, but the point of having these worms, and fungi, and plastic waste retrieval systems is to cut down on plastics, not generate more. It's a breakthrough for sure, but I'd like to know that most plastics are being phased out in favor of reusable materials or biodegradable compounds.

[Harry_potterOvO]

Ahh yes, I definitely want to eat plastic-vanilla flavored ice-cream. ✨DELICIOUS✨