Science Daily·3 min read·medium
Animals have been eating nature’s original bioplastic for millions of years
✦AI Summary
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute have discovered that a wide range of animals possess enzymes capable of breaking down polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a natural bioplastic produced by microorganisms. This finding reveals a previously unknown pathway for carbon cycling within animal food webs.
Microorganisms developed biodegradable plastics long before humans began making them. Many bacteria and archaea naturally produce compounds known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), which they store inside their cells as reserves of carbon and energy.
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