Are fungi that eat up plastic a solution to our waste woes? | Cosmos Briefing

Scientists at the University of Sydney have discovered two types of fungi that have surprisingly useful properties.
They eat plastic.
But is it enough to reduce humanity’s reliance on plastics, and the massive pollution problem emerging across the planet as a result of this waste product?
Cosmos caught up with Professor Ali Abbas and PhD student Amira Farzana Samat who are investigating the plastic-eating effects of fungi, and its potential for industrial use.
#Plasticeatingfungi #sustainability #wastemanagement
#environmentalscience #plasticpollution #fungi #greentechnology #plasticwaste #ecofriendly
SUBSCRIBE to our CZcams channel: bit.ly/RiAusYo...
---
ABOUT
The Royal Institution of Australia is an independent charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science through news, videos, events and educational resources.
Cosmos is all about aiming to inspire curiosity in “The Science of Everything” and make the world of science accessible to everyone.
----
Want to inject more science in your life?
Sign up to our newsletter: cosmosmagazine...
Join our community on Facebook: cosmosmag...
Follow us on Twitter: / cosmosmagazine
Follow us on Instagram: / cosmosmagazine

[@1964_AMU]

The real question is : do the fungi degrade plastic molecules to carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and water ? Or do they produce micro-plastics that later will migrate into soils and waters ?

[@nabeelahanifashaikh3089]

I was wondering the same

[@karas_awesome]

I also wondered this

[@jibstacking]

They degrade it into carbon and eat the carbon to survive

[@georgebush6002]

I think the fungi eats and leaves leftovers. Hopefully they can design an industrial process that serves leftover microplastics until they are eaten.

[@SimonkaShow]

This really deserves more views i hope they can make this mass usable in order to save our oceans and lands

[@MaurizioStefanelli-dd7yo]

👍

[@sayeedharem4673]

man deserves a reward for funding this research .hope they update it soon

[@zeph6439]

Bioremediation is an obvious solution in the short term, however to fix the problem for good we must use hemp and sugar cane to manufacture organic based plastics instead.

[@TinaFrancis-c7d]

This is fantastic

[@MrYerak5]

When this work, will the fungi eat my tv? Or at least the remote

[@drinkwoter]

imagine introducing plastic in food chain 💀 , it will eventually end up in animals to whom plastic is toxic

[@luketracey3269]

Actually ...our DNA is fifty percent fungi

[@TanyaJackson-bi3zt]

amazing

[@Pizzalaser]

Nice!

[@hawaiiangunner]

😂🤣😅🤣😂 for more than 40 years we have had bacteria that eat plastic and excrete sweet crude oil. I want to know why this technology hasn't been utilized in the last 40 years. But surprisingly in 2018 scientists revealed that they found a new bacteria that eats plastic and poops oil. Sounds like a cover up to me

[@1964_AMU]

They make very little quantities of oil indeed. It is not durable for making oil, but for waste elimination, it can be a good and cheap process.

[@user-jd6lh8nx3g]

cause pollution was only a concern on a domestic level like recycling bins n paper . Rich industrialist dont care about the earth they need scientific proof and mathematical facts

[@PAUL-em4tj]

THEY COULD HAVE ASKED ME , I'M A FUN GUY . 😊

[@paddyoak1]

Isn’t this plastic pollution problem a “nature abhores a vacuum” thing?

[@MaurizioStefanelli-dd7yo]

Are a solution? NOT ! Are only solution

[@familydrivepartacalao]

I hope elon musk fund this

[@luketracey3269]

DNAHuman are fifty percent fungi . Mmmmm that's yummy plastic lol.