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RE: Scientists Accidentally Discover Caterpillar That Eats Plastic

in #amazing7 years ago

Do they only chew it to escape, or do they chew it because they normally eat it? Is it nutritional for them? Any ripple effects if they genetically alter microbes/bacteria to use it to clean up the oceans? Also what substances do they break the plastic down into?


-jurassic park

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READ the article firstamendment :)

I did, I didn't digest that part.

"Moreover, the caterpillars were not only eating the incredibly resistant plastic, they were chemically transforming the polyethylene into ethylene glycol (an inexpensive and miscible solvent with a low freezing point and high boiling point, and a structure similar to water). "