Plastic-eating fungus discovered

 
More Than Mortal
| d-d-d-DANK ✡ 🔥🔥🔥 🌈ðŸ‘
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam: MetaCognition
ID: Meta Cognition
IP: Logged

15,060 posts
This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.
Hooray for science.
Quote
An expedition to the Amazon by a group of Yale researchers has led to the discovery of a fungus that can break down plastic, possibly solving the world's rampant waste problem.

The fungus, pestalotiopsis microspora, can survive on a diet of only polyurethane, one of the most common, and pollutant, industrial plastics used by humans. What's even more amazing is that the plastic-eating fungus can feast on polyurethane in an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment - the perfect match for chowing down on trash at the bottom of a landfill.

A group of Yale students made the breakthrough discovery in 2012, as part of the university's annual Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory with molecular biochemistry professor Scott Strobel. Venturing into the jungles of Ecuador, the mission was to allow "students to experience the scientific inquiry process in a comprehensive and creative way," according to the course's website.

The group searched for plants within the Amazon, which is home to more species than almost anywhere else on Earth, and then cultured the microorganisms within the plant tissue.

What they ended up finding was pestalotiopsis, which can effectively degrade one of the most destructive synthetic substances for the planet.

Polyurethane, according to Co.Exist, is used for everything from garden hoses to shoes and truck seats. And once it becomes part of a heaping landfill, it stays there for generations.

The world's waste problem is not going to go away on its own, and manufacture and consumption of plastics over recent decades is only raising more concerns. About 32 million tons of plastic was thrown away in the United States in 2012 alone - only nine percent of it was recycled. The Yale team fears that this plastic problem poses a major threat to natural ecological systems.

The fungal findings were reported in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology in 2012, concluding the microbe is "a promising source of biodiversity from which to screen for metabolic properties useful for bioremediation."


clum clum | Mythic Inconceivable!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN: PM me
Steam: PM me
ID: Numb Digger
IP: Logged

11,461 posts
 
Holy shit, 2012?

We need to get this fungus straight to work!


 
DAS B00T x2
| Cultural Appropriator
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: DAS B00T x2
IP: Logged

37,629 posts
This is not the greatest sig in the world, no. This is just a tribute.
If we utilize it in landfills, how do we keep it contained?


 
 
Mr. Psychologist
| Imperial Forum Ninja
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Mr Psychologist
IP: Logged

17,215 posts
<.<
Holy shiiiit.

Nobel Prize inbound.

But hoooly shit, Lockheed are working on Fusion and now we have found a fungus that eats plastic. What a time to be alive :D We can finally start to fix all the fucking baby boomer problems ._.
Now if some of the dinosaurs running the place could just... die off... then things should be getting quite a lot better >_>


 
Sandtrap
| Mythic Sage
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Sandtrap
IP: Logged

11,702 posts
Rockets on my X
FUCKIN' A MOTHER NATURE WHO'S THE MAN!


 
 
Mr. Psychologist
| Imperial Forum Ninja
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Mr Psychologist
IP: Logged

17,215 posts
<.<
If we utilize it in landfills, how do we keep it contained?

I would say spreading it in landfills would be a very bad idea, but digging massive concrete pits and dumping plastics in there for the fungus to consume should work <.<

An airlock/sterilisation chamber that things go through to get dumped in there wouldn't be a bad idea either. *cough* TLOU *cough*

<_<


 
 
Mr. Psychologist
| Imperial Forum Ninja
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Mr Psychologist
IP: Logged

17,215 posts
<.<
Oh and I'd also like to take a moment to personally tell every fuckwitted asshole who is currently burning down the rainforest that I genuinely hope you die of Ebola.

It's things like this fungus that are destroyed when you go slashing and burning to raise some fucking cattle to sell to McDonalds.


 
More Than Mortal
| d-d-d-DANK ✡ 🔥🔥🔥 🌈ðŸ‘
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam: MetaCognition
ID: Meta Cognition
IP: Logged

15,060 posts
This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.
tell every fuckwitted asshole who is currently burning down the rainforest
I'm more concerned with England's ancient woodlands which we're losing.


 
Isara
| Forum Architect
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Isara
IP: Logged

2,199 posts
 
You mean the poor worker that has to cut down those trees, or the person sitting on a leather chair worth $2k in Chicago?

It's things like this fungus that are destroyed when you go slashing and burning to raise some fucking cattle to sell to McDonalds.


clum clum | Mythic Inconceivable!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN: PM me
Steam: PM me
ID: Numb Digger
IP: Logged

11,461 posts
 
tell every fuckwitted asshole who is currently burning down the rainforest
I'm more concerned with England's ancient woodlands which we're losing.

Yeah, the English countryside is being raped by those god awful wind turbines, and we are losing our forests.

If the Amazon rainforest goes though, we will have much bigger problems.
Last Edit: October 27, 2014, 10:45:04 AM by Scary Digger


Super Irish | Legendary Invincible!
 
more |
XBL: Superirish19
PSN: Superirish19
Steam: Superirish19
ID: Super Irish
IP: Logged

6,009 posts
If I'm not here, I'm doing photography. Or I'm asleep. Or in lockdown. One of those three, anyway.

The current titlebar/avatar setup is just normal.
What's the by-product of the fungus?

It doesn't mention it and that makes me slightly doubtful of it being a miracle fungus just yet. If it just excretes oxygen after ingesting plastics, great. But I have a feeling it's not good to be worth mentioning...


Lemy the Lizerd | Heroic Unstoppable!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Lemy the Lizerd
IP: Logged

2,002 posts
We could have dolved all thrse problems much cheaper if we would just kill all the baby boomers in a sacrifuce to the gods


g💚jira | Heroic Unstoppable!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: HeyLookItsMisterGojira
IP: Logged

1,925 posts
 
It is inevitable.


 
 
Mr. Psychologist
| Imperial Forum Ninja
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Mr Psychologist
IP: Logged

17,215 posts
<.<
You mean the poor worker that has to cut down those trees, or the person sitting on a leather chair worth $2k in Chicago?

It's things like this fungus that are destroyed when you go slashing and burning to raise some fucking cattle to sell to McDonalds.

Both.

I have no sympathy for those who either order or carry out the annihilation of the rainforests and the creatures that live within them. And those poor workers have more Tonka trucks than a kid's playset.

Then you have the insanely irresponsible people in indonesia who literally burn the entire forest down so they can plant more crops. And then get wiped out by landslides and mud rivers because they took out the thing holding the land together.

You don't have to destroy nature to farm on the land


Greed is killing the biodiversity of the planet which is the key to the survival of the human race. I'm not going to give two shits about those who are idiotic enough to destroy it willynilly because they are jeopardising the future of this planet.


 
 
Mr. Psychologist
| Imperial Forum Ninja
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Mr Psychologist
IP: Logged

17,215 posts
<.<
tell every fuckwitted asshole who is currently burning down the rainforest
I'm more concerned with England's ancient woodlands which we're losing.

Yeah, the English countryside is being raped by those god awful wind turbines, and we are losing our forests.

If the Amazon rainforest goes though, we will have much bigger problems.

This^

The loss of our woodlands would be terrible, but it would be like a school shooting being compared to the holocaust if the Amazon rainforest was destroyed.


Kinder Graham | Respected Invincible!
 
more |
XBL: TFL Blazing
PSN:
Steam:
ID: IchEsseKinder
IP: Logged

7,291 posts
TUNNEL SNAKES RULE
(ง ͡͡ ° ͜ ʖ ͡ °)ง
ban plastic


Word Wizard | Heroic Unstoppable!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam: WordWizard
ID: Sly Instict
IP: Logged

2,686 posts
 
Did they say how much they could degrade within a certain amount of time?


 
gats
| alo
 
more |
XBL: goooots
PSN:
Steam: goootsby
ID: Gatsby
IP: Logged

19,290 posts
You will find out who you are not a thousand times, before you ever discover who you are. I hope you find peace in yourself and learn to love instead of hate.
aw yeah bitch


Septy | Mythic Inconceivable!
 
more |
XBL: DarkestSeptagon
PSN: Fallfav
Steam:
ID: Septy
IP: Logged

12,027 posts
See you Cowgirl,
Someday, somewhere
Now we just need something that eats e-waste.


Super Irish | Legendary Invincible!
 
more |
XBL: Superirish19
PSN: Superirish19
Steam: Superirish19
ID: Super Irish
IP: Logged

6,009 posts
If I'm not here, I'm doing photography. Or I'm asleep. Or in lockdown. One of those three, anyway.

The current titlebar/avatar setup is just normal.
Did they say how much they could degrade within a certain amount of time?

They said it would only show noticeable degradation 2 weeks after the first fungus was introduced.

Bear in mind this was with optimal conditions, but knowing scientists, we'll genetically engineer later strains to be more efficient.


Turkey | Mythic Inconceivable!
 
more |
XBL: Viva Redemption
PSN: HurtfulTurkey
Steam: HurtfulTurkey
ID: HurtfulTurkey
IP: Logged

8,077 posts
 
If we utilize it in landfills, how do we keep it contained?



The Lord Slide Rule | Legendary Invincible!
 
more |
XBL: MrMeatyMeatball
PSN:
Steam: SexyPiranha
ID: SexyPiranha
IP: Logged

4,306 posts
My stupidity is self evident.


Death | Heroic Unstoppable!
 
more |
XBL: giant nubbz
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Death
IP: Logged

2,701 posts
I am always around, but never seen. I am often avoided, but you can't out run me. for I will come when you're old and grey, or maybe even the very next day. I will come with cold embrace, and give you rest with a chilled kiss on your face. I come in many forms of emotional state, whether it's irony, love, laughter, or hate. I am everyone's final fate.
Are you fucking serious right now?
I wanted to make that. I came up with this idea 6 years ago. Well there goes one of my big ideas on how to utilize my biotechnology degree.
FUCK.


Statefarm | Heroic Invincible!
 
more |
XBL: Sapid Statefarm
PSN:
Steam: Statefarm
ID: Statefarm
IP: Logged

3,727 posts
Moms spaghetti

Are you fucking serious right now?
I wanted to make that. I came up with this idea 6 years ago. Well there goes one of my big ideas on how to utilize my biotechnology degree.
FUCK.

No millions of dollars for you


Yu | Mythic Inconceivable!
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam:
ID: Yutaka
IP: Logged

12,707 posts
Almost always, with moderation
This could solve a lot of problems.


Mr. Admirals | Heroic Posting Rampage
 
more |
XBL: Onyx81
PSN:
Steam: Onyx0193
ID: Mr. Admirals
IP: Logged

1,637 posts
"You are young. I am old. I am dead."
I'm getting chills right now. We just found mother nature's holy grail-key that unlocks our salvation. Imagine, if we didn't discover this for another 30 years, it might be extinct from deforestation.

;_;

Seriously though, what's taking so long? Let's put this baby to work!

Next thing you know, we'll be finding a fungi that feeds on radiation.


 
More Than Mortal
| d-d-d-DANK ✡ 🔥🔥🔥 🌈ðŸ‘
 
more |
XBL:
PSN:
Steam: MetaCognition
ID: Meta Cognition
IP: Logged

15,060 posts
This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.
Next thing you know, we'll be finding a fungi that feeds on radiation.
. . .

You should probably visit Chernobyl.


The Lord Slide Rule | Legendary Invincible!
 
more |
XBL: MrMeatyMeatball
PSN:
Steam: SexyPiranha
ID: SexyPiranha
IP: Logged

4,306 posts
My stupidity is self evident.
Next thing you know, we'll be finding a fungi that feeds on radiation.
. . .

You should probably visit Chernobyl.
I'd like to. . .no joke.


BaconShelf | Mythic Inconceivable!
 
more |
XBL: BaconShelf
PSN:
Steam: BaconShelf
ID: BaconShelf
IP: Logged

10,737 posts
 
I'm getting chills right now. We just found mother nature's holy grail-key that unlocks our salvation. Imagine, if we didn't discover this for another 30 years, it might be extinct from deforestation.

;_;

Seriously though, what's taking so long? Let's put this baby to work!

Next thing you know, we'll be finding a fungi that feeds on radiation.

Hey! That's my invention.

In fiction.

On Mars.


Dustin | Heroic Invincible!
 
more |
XBL: Greedy Jew
PSN: Jews Did 911
Steam: Chimpout 2014
ID: Le Dustin
IP: Logged

5,814 posts
This is pathetic, Cheat
This user has been blacklisted from posting on the forums. Until the blacklist is lifted, all posts made by this user have been hidden and require a Sep7agon® SecondClass Premium Membership to view.