×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Wednesday
25
Feb 2026
weather symbol
Athens 12°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

Students invent bacteria that eats plastic in the oceans turning it into water

The plastic is dissolved

Newsroom September 8 12:54

The high pollution in the oceans is a big problem on the planet. According to recent research, it is likely that in the year 2050 we will find more plastic than fish in the waters of the seas, and for this reason there are many people working to generate solutions to this problem, some very imaginative to reverse this situation.

Currently the novelty is a bacterium , developed by students Jeanny Yao and Miranda Wang , who have been developing this project since their school years and today reap the fruits of it. They already have patents and have obtained a financing of 400 thousand dollars to start developing the product. All this with only 20 years old.

>Related articles

Scientists have created compounds with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties from E.coli bacteria

The deepest Blue Hole in the oceans has been found: The phenomenon that puzzles experts (video)

308,605 inactive students were removed from Greek universities

They have already won 5 prizes thanks to this project, they became popular as they were the youngest to win the Perlman science prize . All thanks to its tiny bacteria capable of transforming plastic into CO2 and water. The technology is used in two ways: To clean the beaches and also to produce raw materials for clothing.

“It is practically impossible to make people stop using plastic, we need technology to break the material, and everything becomes biodegradable, ” says Miranda Wang.

The development of this technology is divided into two parts: First the plastic is dissolved and the enzymes as catalyze whereby the plastic becomes highly malleable fractions. These components are placed in a biodigester station , where they behave as if they were leftovers of food. The project runs in just 24 hours, to move from plastic to water, really promising.

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#bacteria#ca#oceans#plastic#students
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Incorrect installation of propane pipe at Violanda lacked anti-corrosion protection, according to NTUA report

February 25, 2026

Karystianou announces her party before summer, walks back abortion remarks, attacks Tsipras, Androulakis, Konstantopoulou

February 25, 2026

Sales of energy drinks to children under 16 to be banned in Spain

February 25, 2026

Mitsotakis at New Democracy’s pre-congress in Alexandroupoli: The fence will cover the entire Evros so that we are secure against any threat

February 25, 2026

Vance: Trump prefers a diplomatic solution with Iran

February 25, 2026

Antonis Samaras: Potential ceding of sovereign rights in the contract with Chevron and says he feels “vindicated”

February 25, 2026

22-year-old from Pyrgos intubated at Tzaneio Hospital with meningitis

February 25, 2026

“Green light” for the U-turn on Amalias Avenue toward Plaka: New traffic regulation with traffic light now in operation

February 25, 2026
All News

> World

Sales of energy drinks to children under 16 to be banned in Spain

The ban will join other initiatives adopted in recent years

February 25, 2026

Vance: Trump prefers a diplomatic solution with Iran

February 25, 2026

Tragedy in Crans-Montana: Switzerland to pay $64,000 for each victim

February 25, 2026

The next step in Artificial Intelligence: Can an AI model be conscious, “feel,” “live”? Even experts admit they don’t know

February 25, 2026

Financial Times: How Deutsche Bank rolled out the red carpet for Epstein – Hundreds of millions in accounts & transfers to models in Russia

February 25, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα