How is it that scientists have never figured this out, but a 16 year old does?!?!

Good for him. I hope they use this.

Amazing isn't it? Almost seems as though it was never really made a priority ... not to take anything away from the student (who certainly deserves tremendous kudos).

This just goes to show that just because you are older and more educated does not mean that someone with less experience is incapable of doing extraordinary things.

I wonder if this will work on ALL plastics? the ramifications of this discovery are mind-boggling...

Wow! Finally a positive story about a really smart young man. way to go!

A looooong time back someone posted a link of a scientist that could take any oil based plastic or rubber, stick it into a microwave-like machine, and it would turn it straight back into oil. Instantly. No three months. Then we have more oil too!

Very smart for such a young kid though.

Incredibly smart, and it sounds like he fought through a few obstacles too!

What else might those bacteria do?

*scary music plays in background*

yeah but...is there money to be made?

This is what my first thought was. "I Am Legend" also jumped in to my mind. lol

News at 10: "16yr old scientist unleashes plague on society. One too many plastic bags hit him on the head."

Great, now I am gonna have nightmares about the tiny plastic eating microbes let loose in the city. Oh, the humanity. How much plastic do we have holding things up, the cases of our printers/computers. Cups, mugs, plates, utinsels! This boy is a MENACE, he must be stopped! I think of the Terminator. It started out simply, then grew, and then it got smart!

Ha, ha right! "Mutated microbes leave landfill, all plastic objects threatened! Micheal Jackson protects face!"

Possibly because nobody has tried?!?!

They should have been. It's just such a big thing right now about grocery bags, at least it is here. They are trying to get rid of them all together. I just find it amazing that a 16 year old discovered this.

Ahh, the mysterious but vague "they," the bane of every scientist. Do you realize how much "they" (and by "they" I mean "we") have to think of already?!?

Sometimes all a problem needs is a fresh set of eyes.


They can be bought on sale this week at Bob's Discount Butchershop.

Less experience is possibly the main reason he managed to do this. How many scientists decided not to pursue this research because "everybody knows it doesn't work"?