this post was submitted on 05 Jun 2024
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/16488358

Scientists Find Plastic-Eating Fungus Feasting on Great Pacific Garbage Patch

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[–] KidnappedByKitties@lemm.ee 70 points 5 months ago (5 children)

Sounds like great news, no?

Just as we had a time before fungus digesting plant matter, we've now had a time before fungus digesting plastics.

"Soon" we'll get bacteria and insects doing the same, and all our plastic buildings will need to be protected just as the wood ones.

[–] ThePantser@lemmy.world 46 points 5 months ago

Can't wait to get a fungus infection that starts eating the micro plastics in my testicles.

[–] SuperIce@lemmy.world 20 points 5 months ago

I guess all plastic will be biodegradable eventually.

[–] 9488fcea02a9@sh.itjust.works 9 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Not really good news for the plastic that isnt waste. Plastic pipes or structures in buildings that were meant to last decades we dont want eaten away by fungus

[–] balder1991@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

Still it’s a positive net balance for the planet if it happens this way. But I think the “plastic safety” (in a food sense) would also end?

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 3 points 5 months ago

“The planet” doesn’t have interests so everything is neutral to the planet

[–] anton@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 5 months ago

Hate to break it to you, but if you store your food for years above freezing and without a protective atmosphere in a plastic container it's spoiled anyway.

[–] Kiernian@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

To say nothing of how much cabling is covered by plastic.

Audio

Video

Vehicular

Aviation

Appliances...

...Telecommunications...

...Power...

[–] Chocrates@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

For earth and the surviving creatures on it this is probably great news, but this is probably going to be a problem for humans in the short term. Plastic is this magic material that is immune to degradation and microbes, now that is no longer the case.

Ultimately that will be a good thing, but think about sanitized plastic medical equipment, now it can slowly be eaten up by microbes that we didn't have to worry about before.

[–] mister_monster@monero.town 0 points 5 months ago

Yup. Plastic's main selling point, it's durability, is no longer going to be a factor when choosing it as a material.