×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Thursday
12
Nov 2026
weather symbol
Athens 20°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by
> World

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

The plastic is dissolved

Newsroom September 8 12:54

Δείτε περισσότερα άρθρα μας στα αποτελέσματα αναζήτησης

Add Protothema.gr on Google

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

Housing crisis in Greece: 800,000 empty homes push rents to the equivalent of a monthly salary

Roads reopen after demonstrations by thousands of students and teachers protesting over education costs and housing

“Let’s see who backs down first”: The riots in France that is putting Macron under pressure (videos)

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

Abeille Marengo enters international waters today as Turkey’s possible response comes under scrutiny

November 12, 2026

A Visitor’s Dream: Athens’ 23 Most Interesting Restaurants

November 12, 2026

Diplomatic manoeuvring in Dublin: Greek PM to raise Turkey-Libya maritime deal, as Ankara keeps a low profile

November 12, 2026

Pete Hegseth reprimanded by guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier over laughter and talking

November 12, 2026

Basketball phones and the surprises they may reveal, mayors up in arms over building rules, and a decisive day for Tsavdaridis

November 12, 2026

Greek tax return declarations 2025: Incomes rose by €9.85billionn, two thirds of self-employed workers earning under €10,000

November 12, 2026

WSJ: Nvidia considers removing Jensen Huang after revelations of two extramarital affairs

November 12, 2026

Turkey creates tourist trail following in the footsteps of Xenophon’s 10,000 Greek soldiers

November 11, 2026
All News

> Greece

In reverence, the emotional deposition in Jerusalem, see photos & video

The Holy Temple of the Resurrection opened after many days due to the war between Israel and Iran

April 10, 2026

In the final stretch for the accreditation of joint master’s degrees: Aiming for their launch in the coming academic year

April 10, 2026

Schedule for Epitaph Procession today (10/4)

April 10, 2026

Perfect weather for Easter excursions, according to Tsatrafyllia’s forecast

April 10, 2026

Easter in Greece: The customs that continue in Greek tradition – From Nafpaktos to Corfu

April 10, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα