The end of plastics?

[airiefairie]

A little worm could put the entire modern human civilisation in peril, they say. Because we live in a world dominated by synthetics and plastics. We use it everywhere: in furniture, in electronics, for making cars, for packaging. Plastic packages make global food trade possible. Plastic is even inside us: little synthetic particles fall off

Comments

[dreamville_bg]

I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing the logic. People are using plastic, and because these worms can process plastic, what... we're all gonna die?

Worms are known to be able to process all sorts of materials that we use, and still no Apocalypse has been observed. Microscopic particles of plastic may or may not be accessing our lungs, but how would those worms feed on them?

If these worms can really do some job about plastic, perhaps they would better be unleashed on those oceanic garbage patches that have created entire mini-continents floating in the middle of oceans.

[johnny9fingers]

It's a process identification, enumeration, and extrapolation.

1. We have identified large organisms which can eat plastics.
2. Large organisms mutate less rapidly than small single-celled organisms. There are lots of these.
3. There is a significant likelihood that...

The logic is sound. Whether between the prediction and the actuality falls a shadow or a human inspiration is another matter. However, identifying the problem is a necessary part of the process, as are the other steps.

[dreamville_bg]

A couple decades ago, there was the following extrapolation

[airiefairie]

Good. Point taken. Apart from the alarmist rhetoric, I do maintain, though, that this development carries the potential to turn what looks like a tempest in a teacup into a much, MUCH bigger problem than some people are willing to acknowledge.

Just like climate change, by the way.