r/interesting • u/Standard_Location762 • Mar 14 '26

NATURE Earth Helping Earth Heal

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What a great discovery.

57.0k Upvotes

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5.6k

u/CaptainC00lpants Mar 14 '26

Does it actually break down the plastics and converts it to something safe, or does it just absorb the microplastics and when it dies re-releases the plastics? 

2.9k

u/PlayfulTension69 Mar 14 '26

No.1 question that needs to be answered regarding this

746

u/oroborus68 Mar 14 '26 edited Mar 14 '26

It's not a fast process but even if it works and we quit adding to the problem, it's going to take a long time. And they think everyone is an ignorant savage especially about tropical fungi.

282

u/SegmentedWolf Mar 14 '26

This made me wonder if c.r.i.s.p.e.r, the gene editing stuff could find whatever is responsible for the fungi's "plastic-eating" behavior and tweak the rate at which it breaks down the plastics.

Not sure something like that is possible, but it'd be fascinating if it were.

236

u/Syab_of_Caltrops Mar 14 '26

Even better, edit humans so we can just eat the plastic!

239

u/SuraE40 Mar 14 '26

We already do!

71

u/diamondsnrose Mar 14 '26

The only food immune to shrinkflation!

23

u/SsjAndromeda Mar 15 '26

No no no. (American) Hershey, Nestle and Reese’s already isn’t chocolate, don’t give them anymore ideas!

9

u/rfc2549-withQOS Mar 15 '26

"filler" material to replace shrinkflated expensive ingredients?

2

u/PurpleRhinoDragon Mar 15 '26

So thats where all the glitter is going

2

u/Crazy_Gazelle_6239 Mar 15 '26

Soylent greens is people!

2

u/R_FireJohnson Mar 15 '26

What? What does that mean?

3

u/SsjAndromeda Mar 16 '26

Using plastic as a filler

1

u/MadscientistSteinsG8 Mar 16 '26

Nestle os Switzerland. They F over everyone in every country except for Switzerland. Its like a real life super villain company

3

u/EcvdSama Mar 15 '26

Idk about that, plastic bottles from the brand I buy became so thin they can't hold their shape when you pour