Wonders of Wax Worms and Plastic Degradation

What initially led Dr. Federica Bertocchini to discover the plastic-eating behavior of wax worms?

• A laboratory experiment

• A beekeeping project

• An accidental spill of plastic bags

• A planned scientific study on wax worms

What do wax worms use to break down plastic?

• A special type of bacteria in their gut

• Acidic substances

• Enzymes in their saliva

• Their teeth

Why is plastic generally difficult for nature to decompose?

• It contains toxic substances

• It's too hard

• It's usually buried underground

• It has long chains of polymers with strong bonds

What is the main focus of scientists after discovering the wax worm's ability to degrade plastic?

• Studying the life cycle of wax worms

• Releasing wax worms into landfills

• Identifying and scaling up the enzymes found in wax worm saliva

• Creating plastic that worms can't eat

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What is 'fast PETase'?

• A type of plastic

• A fast-growing plant

• An enhanced enzyme for breaking down PET plastic

• A new species of wax worm

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How did scientists improve the activity of enzymes on plastic?

• By breeding wax worms

• Adding more enzymes to the plastic

• Using machine learning to simulate enzyme mutations

• Increasing the temperature of the enzymes

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What can PET plastic be upcycled into?

• Only pharmaceutical compounds

• Inedible substances

• Vanillin, the main ingredient in vanilla flavor

• Only new plastic bottles

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Why is upcycling plastic considered valuable?

• It helps wax worms grow bigger

• It turns plastic into higher value products

• It reduces the need for new plastic production

• It makes plastic decomposition faster

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