MEET THE BUGS WITH A TASTE FOR PLASTIC
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Hundreds of years after you die and decompose, the Styrofoam takeout containers you used for last night’s Thai food will still linger in the landfill. Scientists estimate it takes thousands of years for Styrofoam (aka polystyrene) to break down when buried under other trash. Even in direct sunlight, the process takes decades! This is a huge pollution problem — but a tiny bug may be able to solve it. On the other side of the globe, at the University of Queensland in Australia, researchers are keeping a tank full of pets that may save us all from our plastic waste: Zophobas morio , aka the “giant mealworm” or “superworm.” In the wild, superworms are scavengers that will munch on anything from animals to apples. But in captivity, researchers have found another food they love: Styrofoam. “Superworms are like mini recycling plants, shredding the polystyrene with their mouths and then feeding it to the bacteria in their gut,” Dr. Chris Rinke, the leader of the superworm experiment at the University of Queensland, told Science Daily. “The breakdown
products from this reaction can then be used by other microbes to create high-value compounds such as bioplastics.”
Not only did the worms in the Queensland study eat the Styrofoam, but they actually gained weight from a healthy diet of takeout containers. Their ability to digest plastic is likely thanks to the gut bacteria Dr. Rinke mentioned. If we can grow and control these bacteria, we may be able to set it loose in landfills and turn our trash into something more useful. Superworms haven’t saved us yet — in fact, we usually use the 2-inch brown bugs as food for pet lizards and birds — but it’s about time we put their true potential to work. Fortunately, scientists like Dr. Rinke are on the case.
“Our team is very excited to push the science to make it happen,” he said.
To see the superworms in action, head to YouTube.com and search “superworm plastic.”
DON’T WAIT TO CONTEST THE SECOND CELLPHONE TICKET!
Last month, we discussed the penalties you could face if you’re caught holding a cellphone while driving a commercial vehicle. California laws are cracking down on distracted driving, and with Assembly Bill 47 in place, the penalties are harsher and have lasting consequences. Luckily, if you’ve never received an electronic device violation, you won’t receive any points on your license for your first offense. However, your insurance can increase by a lot if you get a second cellphone violation. The DMV will be notified of your second offense and you will receive NOTS points on your license if the second offense is within three years of the first.
day license suspension if you receive two within three years.
You may be tempted to wait to contest the second ticket since the first ticket doesn’t have the automatic points and suspension that a second ticket can bring. Don’t do that. Call us once you get that first ticket so that we can discuss your options. You may be able to successfully contest the first ticket so that you never end up with a “second” conviction on your record. If you or someone you know is facing a traffic ticket, please allow Bigger and Harman to assist you. We have years of experience with cases like these and can help you get the best outcome. Cellphone tickets are a big deal. So, please don’t hesitate to call us.
Cellphone violations are also considered “serious offenses” and can result in a 60-
2 | www.bakersfieldtraffictickets.com
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