Scientists Find Plastic-Eating Fungus Feasting on Great Pacific Garbage Patch - eviltoast
Marine scientists discovered an ocean-borne fungus chomping through plastic trash in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
  • KidnappedByKitties@lemm.ee
    69·
    6 months ago

    Sounds like great news, no?

    Just as we had a time before fungus digesting plant matter, we’ve now had a time before fungus digesting plastics.

    “Soon” we’ll get bacteria and insects doing the same, and all our plastic buildings will need to be protected just as the wood ones.

    • 9488fcea02a9@sh.itjust.works
      10·
      6 months ago

      Not really good news for the plastic that isnt waste. Plastic pipes or structures in buildings that were meant to last decades we dont want eaten away by fungus

      • Balder@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        6 months ago

        Still it’s a positive net balance for the planet if it happens this way. But I think the “plastic safety” (in a food sense) would also end?

        • anton@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          1·
          6 months ago

          Hate to break it to you, but if you store your food for years above freezing and without a protective atmosphere in a plastic container it’s spoiled anyway.

      • Kiernian@lemmy.world
        1·
        6 months ago

        To say nothing of how much cabling is covered by plastic.

        Audio

        Video

        Vehicular

        Aviation

        Appliances…

        …Telecommunications…

        …Power…

    • Chocrates@lemmy.world
      5·
      6 months ago

      For earth and the surviving creatures on it this is probably great news, but this is probably going to be a problem for humans in the short term. Plastic is this magic material that is immune to degradation and microbes, now that is no longer the case.

      Ultimately that will be a good thing, but think about sanitized plastic medical equipment, now it can slowly be eaten up by microbes that we didn’t have to worry about before.

    • mister_monster@monero.townEnglish
      33·
      6 months ago

      Yup. Plastic’s main selling point, it’s durability, is no longer going to be a factor when choosing it as a material.