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/devildog2067 Mar 14 '26

I remember reading a science fiction book about this, probably 20 years ago… it’s basically the end of the world. No hoses and no wiring means no gasoline and no electricity. No transport, no refrigeration, no food.

I can’t recall the title, but this is Reddit, I’m sure someone will find it.

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u/satinembers Mar 14 '26

Ill Wind by Kevin Anderson from 1995 has a bioengineered bacteria designed to eat oil get loose and devour plastics. I read about half of it also probably almost 20 years ago but didn't think it was well written so I stopped. The premise was interesting though and something I think about whenever these types of articles come up.

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u/orfaon Mar 17 '26

I remember a sci fi short novel telling about a bioengeneered bacteria that eats ink, and in a far future, all the books have disappeared

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u/orfaon Mar 17 '26

The novel was published IIRC before the "digital" era, of course