A plastic-eating insect may help solve the trash problem that has choked the Earth for a long time, scientists have concluded in a new study. The larvae of the lesser-eating Kenyan mealworm can digest plastic, making it the only insect species native to Africa capable of doing it, The New York Post reported. The study was published in the Nature Journal.

“By studying these natural ‘plastic-eaters,’ we hope to create new tools that help get rid of plastic waste faster and more efficiently,” Fathiya Khamis, a senior scientist at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology and the person behind the study, said.

Mr Khamis and his team found the worm is the pupae of an Alphitobius darkling beetle. It possesses enzymes which can break down polystyrene, a major ingredient in styrofoam. It runs rampant in aquatic ecosystems and has a long durability.

The mealworm might provide an efficient and eco-friendly alternative to the traditional recycling methods that are usually expensive and can paradoxically increase pollution.

To test the capabilities of the worm, the researchers held a month-long trial and showcased their gut bacteria.

During the study period, the worms were given plastic polystyrene and bran — a nutrient-dense food.

The results showed the worms consumed polystyrene more efficiently when given with bran, compared with the polystyrene-only diet. They managed to break down 11.7% of the total polymer.

They also survive at a higher rate, indicating the importance of a nutritious diet.

Khamis said the worms that broke down polymer had higher levels of certain bacteria, the enzymes of which they now look forward to isolating to “create microbial solutions that will address plastic waste on a larger scale”.

“Instead of releasing a huge number of these insects into trash sites (which is not practical), we can use the microbes and enzymes they produce in factories, landfills, and cleanup sites,” Khamis added.

A new study published in Nature Communications found platelets to play an instrumental role in developing potential new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Image for representational purpose only.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Scientists have found that an injection of specific blood molecules can replicate the benefits of exercise in the brain, paving the way for potential new treatments for age-related cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease patients.

The study, published recently in the journal Nature Communications, found that platelets, the tiny blood cells critical for blood clotting, secrete a protein that rejuvenates neurons in aged mice in a similar way to physical exercise.

“We know exercise increases the production of new neurons in the hippocampus, the part of the brain important for learning and memory, but the mechanism hasn’t been clear,” said Odette Leiter from the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia.

“Our previous research has shown platelets are involved, but this study shows platelets are actually required for this effect in the aged mice,” Leiter said in a statement.

The study focused on exerkines, the biological compounds released into the bloodstream during exercise, which are believed to stimulate the exercise-induced response in the brain.

“We discovered that the exerkine CXCL4/Platelet factor 4 or PF4, which is released from platelets after exercise, results in regenerative and cognitive improvements when injected into aged mice,” Leiter said.

The findings have significant implications for the development of drug interventions.

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“For a lot of people with health conditions, mobility issues, or of advanced age, exercise isn’t possible, so pharmacological intervention is an important area of research,” said Tara Walker from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute.

“We can now target platelets to promote neurogenesis, enhance cognition and counteract age-related cognitive decline,” Walker said.

The researchers said the next step is to test the response in Alzheimer’s diseased mice, before moving towards human trials.

“It’s important to note this is not a replacement for exercise. But it could help the very elderly or someone who has had a brain injury or stroke to improve cognition,” Walker said.