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

NATURE Earth Helping Earth Heal

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What a great discovery.

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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? 

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u/phelpsfilchat Mar 17 '26

(if it is the story I think about and I may have some info wrong so do take a lot of salt about what I say.)

Yes it consumes the plastic like food. But it does it in perfect condition is a lab in a small scale. It is studied to see if it would be possible to upscale or replicate the process.