this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2023
245 points (98.0% liked)

Science

13150 readers
28 users here now

Subscribe to see new publications and popular science coverage of current research on your homepage


founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

When a microbe was found munching on a plastic bottle in a rubbish dump, it promised a recycling revolution. Now scientists are attempting to turbocharge those powers in a bid to solve our waste crisis. But will it work?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The most ideal situation is if we archieve 100% recycling.

In reality no thing can disappear, both matter and energy just change form. We only need to look at nature for proof that 100% reusing matter and energy is feasible. Even our “waste” wasn’t wasted.

These microbes are yet another key in the puzzle to obtain the next breakthrough. Once we master industrial chains with full conservation of matter and energy the cost of creating things will become negligible.