this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2025
486 points (99.4% liked)

science

20284 readers
303 users here now

A community to post scientific articles, news, and civil discussion.

rule #1: be kind

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] iAvicenna@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Oh fuck I mean I would love this to be real but this is going to be abused so much in the next couple years. Supermarket shelves and social media posts will fucking be filled with drinks and pills containing (probably nonviable forms) these bacteria by the loads. Good luck everyone.

Also most of us already have enough microplastic embedded in our brains to last a lifetime.

[–] matlag@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago (3 children)

And a few years later the bacteria is found to cause even worse diseases...

[–] kadup@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I know it's a joke, but that's almost certainly not going to be the case. Pathogenic bacteria have fundamentally different metabolism and genes.

What is more likely is either: ecological imbalance or the bacteria only metabolises the harmful chemicals under extreme deprivation of other carbon sources, which is never realistic, so they never do

[–] iAvicenna@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Well I mean if people throw off their gut microbiome by overloading on this bacteria, it might still be harmful in that way. It does not need to be pathogenic in that sense.

[–] kadup@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Its actually hard to survive the human gut

But it is neutralized by microplastics...

[–] iAvicenna@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

But before that they will discover some nutrients which are very beneficial for this bacteria so people will also consume that by the loads.

[–] Rhaxapopouetl@ttrpg.network 14 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Imagine talking about a bacteria that could save lives and never naming it! For those who want to know, it's in the nature article: E.coli and pseudomonas are the ones cited in the source document, widely spread bacteria already in your gut. Sooooo...

[–] DacoTaco@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Soooo... Regular gut biome already does this? Or are they talking about the e.coli that gives you the shits and food poisoning? Cause if its the latter, yes it will clean you quickly... Together will all liquids in your digestive system

[–] midtsveen@lemmy.wtf 2 points 2 days ago

You saved me a click!

[–] ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

If they're already in my gut, does that mean I have less forever chemicals in me than otherwise?

[–] Bloomcole@crazypeople.online 33 points 3 days ago (1 children)

fast track that stuff.
The world is already full of PFAS, us included.

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Whoops, long term studies show it turns the host into a zombie after 4 years.

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemmy.zip 47 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

As long as it doesn't hurt the PFAS industry profit margins.

/s

[–] filcuk@lemmy.zip 15 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

It will quadruple revenue - deregulation and PFAS for everyone!
Hope you can afford regular sponge bacteria cleansing baths, or you get them super-cancers real quick.

[–] Noodle07@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I hate that we're living in the stellaris timeline

[–] H4CK3RN4M3D4N63R570RM@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It would suck to live in any of the empires I've created.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 days ago

It's the way the world was meant to be monetised!

[–] thelivefive@startrek.website 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The fact that this /s was even slightly needed :(

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] xep@fedia.io 60 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Doesn't really seem like they'll get rid of what's already in the bloodstream and no real mention of safety yet, but it looks promising.

[–] Kyle@lemmy.ca 26 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I wonder if there are other ways pfas might be circulated out of the bloodstream and back into the digestive system to be collected by this microfauna.

One of the ways oats and oatmeal reduce the amount of cholesterol in your body is by binding to the cholesterol in bile so it's excreted instead of being re-absorbed. So the cholesterol could already be in the bloodstream, converted into bile, then excretes with the oats once it's combined. This clearly has multiple essential organs helping the process, but still, a mechanism like this could still make a difference over time.

[–] Hardeehar@lemmy.world 13 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Time to start donating blood regularly. Someone else will get plastics sure, but they'll need the blood for more pressing reasons.

[–] fucktrump@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

The microplastics get filtered really well in donations, so you’re definitely not doing any harm!

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I wish I was not a needlephobe as there is some indication it can be good for you the same way things that encourage your old cells to die (senolytics) are good.

[–] Hardeehar@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago (5 children)

Fasting is a good way to achieve that.

But as far as donating goes, there may be a day you might be the recipient of much needed blood donations.

Had a lady need 12 bags of blood after almost exsanguinating following a really complicated delivery (both survived). She never gave blood before due to fear of needles, but now is a regular blood donor because of the importance of it. She told me to not wait and just start giving.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] InternetRando@lemmy.myserv.one 13 points 3 days ago

That looks like a mitochondria, which is the powerhouse of the cell.

[–] MalReynolds@slrpnk.net 28 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Awesome, nature finds a way. Wonder how common this removal is with other things, also, engineering one for nanoplastic removal would be a huge win!

[–] BudgetBandit@sh.itjust.works 17 points 3 days ago (2 children)

There has been found a fungus that evolved to consume microplastics already! https://lamycosphere.com/en-int/blogs/the-futur-is-fungi/plastikfressende-pilze-sind-eine-naturliche-losung-fur-die-umweltverschmutzungskrise?srsltid=AfmBOopXsq1C4V3QswKk2bVz1-Y9NNbbDa5VhLclmQyVl-LkNqrijkvl

And a black one that consumes radiation! They’re working on a way to use that as a self healing radiation shielding in space! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiotrophic_fungus

[–] buddascrayon@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Just keep in mind how close our flesh is to plastic, chemically speaking. Anything that is really good at breaking down hydrocarbons may find us pretty tasty too.

[–] Bloomcole@crazypeople.online 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

"keep in mind how close our flesh is to plastic"
Well that was never in my mind.
Monkeys, pigs in some way but I need some source or explanation on this

[–] Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

We are comprised of tangled chains of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, with a sprinkle of various others. Plastic is slightly more complex chains, developed from the dead and entombed carcasses of ancient flora and fauna. That entombment process adjusts, but doesn't fundamentally alter the chemistry of those chains.

load more comments (1 replies)

Estimations indicate that approximately a 21 cm thick layer could significantly deflect the annual amount of radiation received on Mars’ surface.

The pefapocalyps is coming. Why does fluor have to be such a clingy sensitive bitch clinging to cheats-with-anyone carbon? Now carbon is in a toxic relationship :(

[–] SGGeorwell@lemmy.world 29 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] MedicPigBabySaver@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago

I'll take the whole case.

[–] Inucune@lemmy.world 22 points 3 days ago (3 children)

I'm waiting for people to start using leeches again to treat pfas in the blood.

[–] SheeEttin@lemmy.zip 19 points 3 days ago (1 children)

That's actually a valid treatment! Although really they'd probably just take a pint here and there. When you do, the body produces new, pure blood.

[–] MalReynolds@slrpnk.net 12 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

Yup, most efficient is to donate plasma, can reduce levels by a third in 6 months.

[–] ChexMax@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Hmm I wonder if women have less pfas in the blood because of periods?

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Regular plasma donation is the most effective treatment. Blood donation works, too, but you can only donate blood every two months, versus plasma donations up to twice a week.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone 17 points 3 days ago (1 children)

That’s fucking great! I hope they are safe to use in people and make it to market soon.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Etterra@discuss.online 2 points 2 days ago

Everything lasts forever until it doesn't.

load more comments
view more: next ›