Scientists Found Animals Have Been Eating Nature's Original Bioplastic

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute found that more than 66 animal species, from marine worms to earthworms and sponges, carry enzymes capable of breaking down a microbial bioplastic called PHA, once thought digestible only by microorganisms. The discovery opens a new route for understanding nature's carbon cycle, with practical relevance for the growing bioplastics industry.