Bioengineering Plastic Waste into Biodegradable Spider Silk

Today, you’ll learn about a bacteria that turns plastic into spider webs, a massive deep-sea discovery right in our own backyard, and how CRISPR could reshape agriculture for an entire continent. 

Silk-Making Bacteria 

• “Researchers Engineer Bacteria That Eat Plastic, Make Multipurpose Spider Silk.” Technology Networks. 2024.  
• “Two-step conversion of polyethylene into recombinant proteins using a microbial platform.” by Alexander Connor, et al. 2023. 
• “Our planet is choking on plastic.” UNEP. n.d.  
• “In Images: Plastic is Forever.” UN. n.d. 

Deep Coral 

• “World’s largest deep-sea coral reef found lurking beneath the Gulf Stream ‘right on the doorstep’ of US coast.” by Harry Baker. 2024.  
• “Status of Coral Reefs.” Reef Resilience Network. N.d.  
• “Life Below Water.” UN. 2020.  

CRISPR Agriculture 

• “CRISPR-edited crops break new ground in Africa.” by Heidi Ledford. 2024.  
• “Witchweed.” USDA. n.d.  
• “Africa’s agricultural revolution: From self-sufficiency to global food powerhouse.” By Gareth Hodder & Brenda Migwalla. 2023.  
• “GMOs or non-GMOs? The CRISPR Conundrum.” By Aftab Ahmad, et al. 2023.  

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