How Can Ocean Microbes Eat Plastic?! 🔎 🌊 | LISTEN KIDS PODCAST 🎧 | Wow in the World EPISODE

What's the hottest dish in the ocean?

It's not this. What if I told you it was biodedegradable plastic bags? What if

those plastic bags that we [music] bring home from the grocery store could become food for those teeny tiny microorganisms that live [music] in the ocean? Well,

you don't have to imagine it because my buddy Guy Roz and I shrunk ourselves [music] and went deep into the sea to investigate this for ourselves on our podcast, Wow in the World. Now, I could

tell you all about it, but I'd rather show you. So, turn on your ears and grab

show you. So, turn on your ears and grab a snorkel as we take a deep dive into the science [music] behind a bonker

balls and biodegradable new plastic bag.

>> Proceeded 3 2 1 [music] of magnificent proportion.

>> I don't know what you've [music] been told. We're in a golden age. So many

told. We're in a golden age. So many

discoveries are jumping off the page. In

the world in the world in the world in the world in the world in the world in the world in the world.

>> Welcome to Healthway, your local neighborhood all naturatural eco-conscious food pantry. Remember, a

sustainable future is just a mouthful away.

>> Okay, let me just check my shopping list here. Uh, quinoa, check. Kale, check.

here. Uh, quinoa, check. Kale, check.

Tomatoes, check. And

>> marshmallows.

>> Bindy, >> what?

>> I thought we were supposed to be making a salad tonight.

>> We are. Don't worry, Guy Roz. These are

green marshmallows.

>> What kind of salad has marshmallows in it? Uh, a good one.

it? Uh, a good one.

>> Please put them back.

>> Ah, fine. But I'm keeping the maple syrup.

>> Okay, let's see where I was. Ah, yes.

Uh, tomatoes. Check. Okay, that looks like it's everything. Uh, now to the checkout line. And this one doesn't seem

checkout line. And this one doesn't seem too long.

There's your receipt.

>> Thanks.

>> Uh, have a healthy day.

>> Bye now, >> Thomas Fingerling.

>> Oh, hey there, Mr. Razy.

>> What are you doing here? What do you mean? I work here.

mean? I work here.

>> You work at the Healthway grocery store?

>> Well, sure.

>> Why?

>> Well, nobody else could seem to wrangle GeForce.

>> Okay, I'm back from my bathroom break.

>> Excuse me.

>> GeForce, you work here, too.

>> No, I'll just take the money. That'll be

$75.

>> What?

>> You should probably just give her the money. You don't want to see her get

money. You don't want to see her get angry. Well, uh,

angry. Well, uh, >> I'm already angry, Fingerling.

>> Okay, put the marshmallows back, Izz.

But I really think we should get these fudge brownies for the Thomas Fingerling.

>> What?

>> Grandma Gforce. Hug.

>> No. What are you two doing here?

>> They work here. We work here.

>> You do?

>> Apparently, >> I'll just take the money.

>> Ah, she's just being modest. G Force is the fastest grocery bagger this side of the wherever we are.

>> Whatever.

>> Speaking of which, uh, you need a reusable bag for all these vegetables, guy. Rosie.

guy. Rosie.

>> Oh, uh, sure.

>> Oh, no. That's okay. I brought my own bags. They're somewhere in here. Where'd

bags. They're somewhere in here. Where'd

I put those bags? Oh, here we go.

>> Are those plastic bags?

[music] Uh-oh.

[screaming] >> Uh, what just happened?

>> Mindy, this is an all natural eco-conscious food pantry.

>> Really? I thought it was a grocery store.

>> They take their environmental issues here very seriously. And plastic bags, they are a big no no.

>> But Kra, these plastic bags are different.

>> How?

>> Well, >> there she is. There's the lady that hates the environment. Get her. Oh,

>> come on.

>> Yeah, you two better get out of here.

>> Come on, Mindy.

>> Thank you for shopping.

>> That was a close one.

>> Well, I guess that's what we get for forgetting our reusable bags. Well, if

everyone in there had actually given me a second to explain myself, they would know that these plastic bags aren't actually all that bad for the environment.

>> What do you mean?

>> Well, I'll tell you about it on the way home. Come on, let's ambulate and

home. Come on, let's ambulate and pontificate.

>> What?

>> Walk and talk.

>> Ah, >> you see, guy, these bags are biodedegradable.

>> Bioderadable? You mean they break down in nature? Yeah, just like a banana peel

in nature? Yeah, just like a banana peel or compost or an apple core.

>> The bag breaks down just like that.

>> Yeah, they're based on these plastic bags that were developed at the Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology. That was a mouthful.

Technology. That was a mouthful.

>> You mean Jamstick?

>> Yeah, that's much easier to say. Anywh

who, I was excited to try out these new biodegradable bags that they developed.

I just didn't realize people would freak out so much.

>> Uh-huh. And um how long does it take for these bags to fully disintegrate?

>> Well, this research found that the bags lost 80% of their mass in just over a year. In other words, 80% of the bag

year. In other words, 80% of the bag disappeared in over a year.

>> Huh, that's super fast considering that normal plastic bags can take tens or hundreds or even a thousand years to fully break down.

>> I know.

>> So, how does it all work? Well, Guyz, I could [music] tell you.

>> Yes, >> but I'd rather show you. Look, we made it back to my gingerbread mansion.

>> Oh, yeah.

>> I freshly baked [music] the front door this morning. Come on, follow me.

this morning. Come on, follow me.

>> Home sweet home. Literally, because it's gingerbread.

>> Mindy, why is there a giant tank of water in the middle of your living room?

>> Oh, that's just for science. Guy, Roz,

>> for science. You needed a bus-sized tank of water in your living room for science.

>> Yeah. You wanted to know how these biodegradable bags worked. So, we're

going to run a little science experiment just like they did at Jams Tech.

>> A science experiment about plastic bags in this aquarium.

>> Yeah. Part of developing these biodegradable plastic bags meant that the researchers had to observe how they broke down in seawater.

>> Okay. And we're gonna do the same.

>> Wait, this is seawater?

>> Yeah. Reggie and I brought this seawater home from our trip to the beach last week, and I was going to use it to cook potatoes for our salad tonight.

>> So, let me just see if I understand the experiment here, Mindy.

>> Okay.

>> We're going to take some of your plastic bags.

>> Uh-huh.

>> Put them in this giant tank of seawater.

>> Yeah.

>> And then observe them as they break down over time.

>> You know it. Let me just climb up this ladder here.

Okay, now I just got to pull the bags out of my pocket and drop them in the seawater. Dropping in the bag.

seawater. Dropping in the bag.

>> But Mindy, didn't you say that it takes just over a year for these plastic bags to break down?

>> Uh-huh.

>> So, we're just going to stand around here for a year?

>> Yes, of course. We're not just going to stand around for over a year. Guy Ros,

that's what the Wow Machine is for.

>> Wow machine? Where are we going?

>> Well, we're going in here.

>> In the seawater tank.

>> You know it. We're going to get up close and personal. Guy Roz to see just how

and personal. Guy Roz to see just how this plastic bag breaks down in the ocean. Come on, follow me. The Wow

ocean. Come on, follow me. The Wow

Machine's in the garage.

>> Okay.

>> Walk.

Opening the door.

Minnie, what is going on?

>> Sorry, Reggie's been making a couple of tweaks to the Wow machine. Hey, Re.

REGGIE, >> the Wow Machine ready yet?

>> That's good enough for me. Come on, guy.

>> Okay.

>> Yeah, we'll be back in like 13 minutes.

You can reinstall the temporal stabilizer when we get back.

>> It'll be fine. Stop worrying, Re. Come

on, hop on in, guy.

>> All right, >> closing the hatch.

Strap in, guys. It's time to shrinkify.

>> Shrinkify?

>> Yeah. In order to see how this bag gets broken down, we [music] have to shrink down to the microscopic level.

>> If you say so, Mindy.

>> I do say so. All strapped in.

>> Uh, there's nothing to strap in with, Mindy.

>> Well, then you better hold on to something because here we go.

>> [music] >> All right. Now, let's see if we made it.

[sighs and gasps] >> All right.

>> You want to open those blinds, Guy, Ros?

>> Oh, uh, sure. Opening the blinds.

Whoa. [groaning]

>> Oh, yeah. Where are we, Mindy?

>> Well, can't you tell, Gyro? We're in my giant living room seawater aquarium.

>> And that giant jellyfish looking wall in front of us.

>> That's our plastic bag.

>> Wo! We really are small.

>> Yep. We're on the microscopic scale now, buddy. You could fit about 5 million Wow

buddy. You could fit about 5 million Wow [music] machines in the head of a needle at this size.

>> And so when does this plastic bag start to break down, Mindy? Nah, in a couple of months. Let me just see if I could

of months. Let me just see if I could speed us up with a little bit of a good [music] old-fashioned time travel. Now,

where did I put the fast forward button?

Ah, found it. All right, here we go.

Fast forward.

Okay, should be coming up on [music] 3 months right about now.

Phew.

>> Okay, let me just see here.

Uh, >> what was that, Mindy?

>> Wow. [screaming]

>> What's that sound?

>> That's the WOW machine's proximity alarm.

>> Uh, I have a bad feeling about this.

>> Here it comes.

>> What in the >> Guyz? Behold the bag eating micro.

>> Guyz? Behold the bag eating micro.

A microbe? You mean those microscopic teeny tiny little creatures that live on and inside our bodies?

>> Yeah, but they don't just live on our bodies. Guy Roz, they also live out in

bodies. Guy Roz, they also live out in nature. They're like nature's invisible

nature. They're like nature's invisible workers. Some live in the soil where

workers. Some live in the soil where they break down dead plants and animals, turning them into nutrients that help new things grow. And in the ocean, some

microbes make oxygen for us to breathe.

>> And these ocean microbes, >> well, they're the reason these bags are able to be broken down.

>> What do you mean?

>> Wait for it.

Wait for it.

>> Uh, >> wait for it.

>> Mindy, is that microbe eating that plastic bag?

>> Uh-huh. And that is how the plastic bag is able to lose 80% or most of its mass in just a little over a year.

>> Because they break down this biodedegradable plastic in the same way that other microbes break down other tough materials.

>> You know it. See, these scientists from Jamtech knew that there were other microbes out there that eat oil and wood, even some metals. So, they had an idea.

>> Yeah. If they can eat up those other things, then maybe they could add this newly developed biodedegradable plastic

to the menu, too. Huh?

Look, here comes another one.

>> Oo, these microbes sure are hungry today.

>> You know, Mindy, they actually look kind of cute. Yeah, some of the most adorable

of cute. Yeah, some of the most adorable little microorganisms I've ever seen.

>> But Mindy, where does all that plastic go? I mean, you know, after it gets

go? I mean, you know, after it gets eaten by these microbes.

>> Well, does that answer your question?

>> Uh, did that microbe just >> tooted out that plastic bag? Yeah, it

did.

>> Gross.

>> It's not gross, Kyra. It's science.

These microbes are taking the plastic bag, digesting it, and then converting it into chemicals like carbon dioxide and water.

>> Great job, buddies. Keep up the good work.

>> Well, yikes.

>> We better get out of here, guy, before this becomes a feeding frenzy.

>> Good idea, Mindy.

>> Strap in.

>> Uh, once again, Mindy, there are no straps.

>> Oh, yeah. Well, then uh hold on to something cuz here we [music] do.

>> Hey, Re. See, I told you it would be fine. Ah, sorry about the water.

fine. Ah, sorry about the water.

Hey, Re, where are you going? He's not

mad at me.

>> Simia, what does this new technology mean for the future of plastic bags?

>> Well, single use or plastic that you use once and throw away is still a pretty big problem for our planet, >> particularly in the ocean.

>> Yeah. Have you heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

>> Yeah, it's a huge area in the ocean where ocean currents trap plastic and other trash.

>> Right. And it's super big, too. like

twice the size of Texas big >> and super dangerous because animals mistake the plastic for food or get tangled in it and the garbage never

really goes away.

>> Yeah. But if more of that trash was made out of the same sort of plastic that these plastic bags are made out of, >> then a lot of them would break down in just over a year

>> and pose less of a threat to the environment and sea life. So, how far away are we from [music] replacing our everyday plastic with this biodegradable stuff?

>> Well, we've still got a long way to go.

I mean, there's a lot of plastic [music] in the world right now, but it is a good first step.

>> You got to start somewhere.

>> Reggie, you came back.

>> Uh-oh.

>> Well, Guy, looks like we're on mopping duty.

>> Oh, boy.

>> Come on. But if we get started now, we can still get back to the grocery store in time to get all those ingredients for tonight's salad.

>> All right, fine. Hand me that mop.

>> That's the spirit, buddy.

>> But maybe we should bring a couple of my reusable tote bags this time. You know,

just to be safe.

>> Not a bad idea.

Wow in the world.

>> Hi, thanks for calling Wow in the World.

After the beep, get ready to record.

>> My name is Par and I'm 9 years old. I

live in Atlanta, Georgia. And my well in the world is about a girl named Bella J.

Dark who who published a book named The Lost Cat when she was only 5 years old.

Hi, my name is James and I'm from Pennsylvania. My wow in my world is that

Pennsylvania. My wow in my world is that the most children delivered on a single birth is nine babies. And it's also the

first time that has ever happened.

Hi, my name is Addison and I live in Lynwood, Washington. And my well in the

Lynwood, Washington. And my well in the world is that lightning can be different colors and those colors are blue,

yellow violet red orange green and pink. Bye. Love you. So, say hi to you

pink. Bye. Love you. So, say hi to you for me.

>> Hi, my name is Jade. I'm from Minnesota.

And my wow is that cats use their whiskers to like when it's dark they use them um

[snorts] to get around places and feel objects.

>> Hi Mie. Hi guys. My name is Hazel. I'm

from Edmon into Washington. My my wow on the wheel is that komodo dragons are the biggest lizard in the world and they and they can be 10 feet long.

>> Say hi to grandma shore.

>> Oh fun >> Thomas fingering.

>> Oo cool dude >> and Dennis >> mother come quick.

>> Bye.

>> My name is Dev. I'm 6 years old. I'm

from Massachusetts. My in the world is honey badgers can protect yourself from bees and steal honey.

>> Hi Mindy and Guy Ro. My name is Camila and I'm 10 years old. I'm from um Washington DC and my wow in the world is

that the letters DNA stand for deoxibbo nucleic acid. Say hi to the annoying

nucleic acid. Say hi to the annoying dentist for me.

Hello, I am from South Africa and I am Luke. My way in the world is that your

Luke. My way in the world is that your teeth are connected to your jaws.

>> Hi, my name is Cassidy and I live in Toledo, Ohio. My way in the world is,

Toledo, Ohio. My way in the world is, did you know that a dog's nose print is just as unique as a human's fingerprint?

>> Hi girls and Mindy. My name's Callie.

>> And I'm her brother Keller. And

>> we're from Galina, Ohio. And we have two wow in the world. My wow in the world is the winds on Neptune can blow faster than 1,200 mph.

>> My wow in the world is a silverback gorilla can lift over 1,763 lb.

>> Say hi to Dennis and Reggie for us. Bye.

>> Oh wow.

>> End of messages.

Thanks for listening to this episode of Wow in the World. If you're a kid with a big wow to share with us, call our WOW hotline at 18887wow

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Spotify. Leave us five stars and tell us what wows you about our show by leaving a review or send us a comment on Spotify. You just might hear your

Spotify. You just might hear your reviewsy read by [music] Dennis on Weiwow on the weekend.

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Keep on wowing in the world. In the

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