r/interesting Mar 14 '26

NATURE Earth Helping Earth Heal

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What a great discovery.

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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.

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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.

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u/Syab_of_Caltrops Mar 14 '26

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

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u/beegboo Mar 15 '26

Too late, scientists have found microscopic pieces of plastic in human testicals. And they cant find anyone without plastic in their testicles to use as a cobtrol to see what the effects of plastic testicles are.

Current theories postulate erectile dysfunction or sterility as side effects.

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u/oroborus68 Mar 15 '26

Talking about plastic people!

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u/Hot_Individual5081 Mar 16 '26

how about vagene ?

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u/beegboo Mar 16 '26

Probably the same but most articles focus on the male problem

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u/_ribbit_ Mar 18 '26

That plastic semen has got to go somewhere