Superworms

The unique gut microbiome found within a tiny plastics-munching worm could potentially be harnessed to successfully break down problematic materials on a large scale.Zophobas atratus worms – more accurately, the larvae of the darkling beetle – are popular insect snacks in many countries where they are often bred and sold for pet reptile food. But while they're known as superworms for their protein-rich nutritional value, their true superpower may be found in the makeup of their gut bacteria. In this new study, Nanyang…

The common Zophobas morio ‘superworm’ can eat through polystyrene. Credit: The University of QueenslandAccording to the American Chemistry Council, in 2018 in the United States, 27.0 million tons of plastic ended up in landfills compared to just 3.1 million tons that were recycled. Worldwide the numbers are similarly bad, with just 9% of plastic being recycled according to a recent Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report.The statistics are even worse for certain types of plastic. For example,…

The magnitude of our plastic waste problem has scientists searching far and wide for answers, and for a team at Australia's University of Queensland (UQ) this search has led them to hungry little critters known as "superworms." These tiny creatures have now been shown to have a healthy appetite for plastic waste, which the researchers were able to trace to specific enzymes in their gut bacteria that convert it into energy, even leading the worms to gain weight as a result.The Zophobas morio species at the center of this…

Packing material, disposable cutlery, CD cases: Polystyrene is among the most common forms of plastic, but recycling it isn't easy and the vast majority ends up in landfills or finds its way to the oceans where it threatens marine life.  Scientists at Australia's University of Queensland have now discovered that superworms – the larvae of Zophobas morio darkling beetles – are eager to dine on the substance, and their gut enzymes could hold the key to higher recycling rates.Chris Rinke, who led a study that was published…

One of the noticeable things about microbiologist Christian Rinke’s laboratory is the startlingly loud crunching noise of wormlike larvae chewing their way through polystyrene, burrowing into blocks of the plastic foam. Before he discards a chewed-through block, Rinke says he raises it to his ear to check for stragglers. “If the worm is still eating in there,” he says, “you can actually hear it.” Rinke and his colleagues have been feeding plastic to Zophobas morio beetle larvae—dubbed “superworms” for their large size—to…