General Products prepares a patent-infringement claim.

/flup

SlothB77: put these mushrooms in our landfills.

Oops it got released into the ecosystem and no your computer is decaying from a fungal infection oh wellz.

Headline made me lol, blew out the bong. Thanks, subhole.

Pochas: SlothB77: put these mushrooms in our landfills.

Oops it got released into the ecosystem and no your computer is decaying from a fungal infection oh wellz.

At least put it on that giant floating plastic island out in the Pacific. They'll run out of plastic eventually and if they still don't die you have napalm.

_{I read the article but didn't watch the vid so I'm not sure if this is answered.}

What exactly is it processing the polyurethane into? It could be pretty nasti byproducts.

"These mushrooms live off of Bleach and Ammonia. What could possibl... hey what is that cloud?"

then the gorillas freeze to death

Im sure some farker will step up and give Joan a mushroom stamp.

Skr: I read the article but didn't watch the vid so I'm not sure if this is answered.

What exactly is it processing the polyurethane into? It could be pretty nasti byproducts.

"These mushrooms live off of Bleach and Ammonia. What could possibl... hey what is that cloud?"

Not sure as I have no sound. Also, going to shoot down my own previous idea: What would happen if the sea life starting eating the mushrooms?

Because People in power are Stupid : What an obnoxious link. It should be labeled "Video" because it starts spewing noise the second you click on it.

Links with embedded noises should also give you the option of when to start spewing the noise as in a "play" button.

Noscript here

// I don't see how people can browse the web without protection.

// don't forget about the fungi that eats aluminum

Skr: I read the article but didn't watch the vid so I'm not sure if this is answered.

What exactly is it processing the polyurethane into? It could be pretty nasti byproducts.

"These mushrooms live off of Bleach and Ammonia. What could possibl... hey what is that cloud?"

Wasn't there a mushroom/fungus in D&D that did exactly this?

Carlin predicted it. Link (new window)

Why does this sound like Ringworld?

What could go wrong with plastic eating mushrooms?

Pochas: SlothB77: put these mushrooms in our landfills.

Oops it got released into the ecosystem and no your computer is decaying from a fungal infection oh wellz.

The article mentioned airless environments but when I checked the research article describing them (the fungi were already known the new research was screening various species in the genus for the ability to degrade polyurethane) the particular species referenced was unique because it could live of PUR as its sole carbon source in both aerobic and anaerobic environments.

There have already been several fungi and bacteria described capable of breaking down PUR, it isn't terribly novel and I wouldn't worry about "grey goo" type scenarios or them infecting all our household plastics. They just don't reproduce fast enough, can be controlled with fungicides or other anti-microbial (these are microbial fungi) techniques, and they already exist in nature and haven't wrecked havoc.

PsyLord: Speaking of Joan Rivers, how does someone like her land a gig criticizing celebrity fashion? Have you seen how she dresses and the crap clothes/jewelry she peddles on QVC?

I'm pretty sure it was less about her fashion qualifications and more about her being a popular comedian that works relentlessly. Seriously, read up on her. She treats the people that work for her extremely well and has a lavish lifestyle. She is going to be working until she drops dead because she is always broke.

When the E! network first started she was an easy get and she took the work because it was a quick paycheck. After a while it became her thing.

Pochas: SlothB77: put these mushrooms in our landfills.

Oops it got released into the ecosystem and no your computer is decaying from a fungal infection oh wellz.

We're all doomed!! DOOOOOOOOOMMMMED!!!!!

entropic_existence: Pochas: SlothB77: put these mushrooms in our landfills.

Oops it got released into the ecosystem and no your computer is decaying from a fungal infection oh wellz.

The article mentioned airless environments but when I checked the research article describing them (the fungi were already known the new research was screening various species in the genus for the ability to degrade polyurethane) the particular species referenced was unique because it could live of PUR as its sole carbon source in both aerobic and anaerobic environments.

There have already been several fungi and bacteria described capable of breaking down PUR, it isn't terribly novel and I wouldn't worry about "grey goo" type scenarios or them infecting all our household plastics. They just don't reproduce fast enough, can be controlled with fungicides or other anti-microbial (these are microbial fungi) techniques, and they already exist in nature and haven't wrecked havoc.

They might not reproduce quickly but they would also have no competition for their food source so yeah there is definitely potential for disaster here methinks.

There have already been several fungi and bacteria described capable of breaking down PUR, it isn't terribly novel and I wouldn't worry about "grey goo" type scenarios or them infecting all our household plastics. They just don't reproduce fast enough, can be controlled with fungicides or other anti-microbial (these are microbial fungi) techniques, and they already exist in nature and haven't wrecked havoc.

So the widespread use of these fungi is contingent on regular human intervention to control over growth? That is a burden I prefer not to adopt. ... or a tolerable measure I would risk to fail.

Pochas: They might not reproduce quickly but they would also have no competition for their food source so yeah there is definitely potential for disaster here methinks.

Just because an organism is capable on living on a certain substrate as a carbon source doesn't mean it prefers to. Like I said there are a number of microbial fungi and bacteria already known that are capable of degrading plastic under various conditions. They already live in nature and they haven't exactly gone all grey goo on us yet. It isn't like these are new, have just acquired this ability, or live in isolated environments that has kept them from encountering all our plastic goodness.

So out in the regular environment what happens is these guys tend to not grow on plastic because other carbon sources are available that they are more efficient at growing on, even with the increased competition. And even if you were happening to grow on plastic, there is competition from other microbes who can do it two AND predators, who are going to use you as their carbon source. Soil microbes that can break down plastic are actually pretty ubiquitous. They just generally aren't very efficient at it.

These particular fungi are actually symbiotic naturally, they live inside plants. Not sure how good they are at living outside of that environment, but they invade and aren't, from what I can see, obligate symbionts that are passed on vertically as the plant reproduces.

entropic_existence: Pochas: They might not reproduce quickly but they would also have no competition for their food source so yeah there is definitely potential for disaster here methinks.

Just because an organism is capable on living on a certain substrate as a carbon source doesn't mean it prefers to. Like I said there are a number of microbial fungi and bacteria already known that are capable of degrading plastic under various conditions. They already live in nature and they haven't exactly gone all grey goo on us yet. It isn't like these are new, have just acquired this ability, or live in isolated environments that has kept them from encountering all our plastic goodness.

So out in the regular environment what happens is these guys tend to not grow on plastic because other carbon sources are available that they are more efficient at growing on, even with the increased competition. And even if you were happening to grow on plastic, there is competition from other microbes who can do it two AND predators, who are going to use you as their carbon source. Soil microbes that can break down plastic are actually pretty ubiquitous. They just generally aren't very efficient at it.

These particular fungi are actually symbiotic naturally, they live inside plants. Not sure how good they are at living outside of that environment, but they invade and aren't, from what I can see, obligate symbionts that are passed on vertically as the plant reproduces.

If what you are saying is true and they are not isolated and are ubiquitous, then why would people be considering adding them to landfills? They would already be in landfills and plastic would be bio-degradable. But it is not.

Fortunately, it only grows in a very narrow pH range.

Unfortunately, it mutates very quickly.

entropic_existence: Pochas: SlothB77: put these mushrooms in our landfills.

Oops it got released into the ecosystem and no your computer is decaying from a fungal infection oh wellz.

The article mentioned airless environments but when I checked the research article describing them (the fungi were already known the new research was screening various species in the genus for the ability to degrade polyurethane) the particular species referenced was unique because it could live of PUR as its sole carbon source in both aerobic and anaerobic environments.

There have already been several fungi and bacteria described capable of breaking down PUR, it isn't terribly novel and I wouldn't worry about "grey goo" type scenarios or them infecting all our household plastics. They just don't reproduce fast enough, can be controlled with fungicides or other anti-microbial (these are microbial fungi) techniques, and they already exist in nature and haven't wrecked havoc.

Put. The amphetamines. Down.

CSB/
The second half of the article was about a fungi & plant material formed styrofoam substitute..... Turns out the company that makes that stuff (Evocative) is our neighbor at work and they just expanded to the suite next door for their new showroom. Never has a bigger 'small world' moment been had (by me). Though this explains a lot of why the whole loading lot smells alternatively like 18 wheeler exhaust and mushrooms. Getting to the point; did I mention most/all of the women that work there are f.i.n.e.? And since their two suites are separated by a loading lot, whenever I take a break out on the loading dock, there's always a cute chick with a nice ass and tight jeans walking from one suite to another....life sure is tough.

we should start singing the DOOM Song! doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom the end.

madgordy: we should start singing the DOOM Song! doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom dooom doom doom doom ...

We`ll make them serve us.

We`ll make them serve us curley fries...

Pochas: If what you are saying is true and they are not isolated and are ubiquitous, then why would people be considering adding them to landfills? They would already be in landfills and plastic would be bio-degradable. But it is not.

This specific species isn't necessarily ubiquitous. But various microbes with some ability to eat PUC are now known top be fairly common. In addition degrading PUC under aerobic versus anaerobic conditions are quite different. This fungus can do both, for landfills the ability to do so anaerobically is what is important.

Sylvia_Bandersnatch: Put. The amphetamines. Down

????