In a breakthrough that could reshape how we tackle plastic pollution, scientists have discovered that superworms — the larvae of the darkling beetle (Zophobas morio) — can survive by eating plastic.

These tiny recyclers can digest polystyrene (commonly used in foam cups and packaging) thanks to special gut bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These microbes break the plastic down into smaller compounds, converting it into usable energy for the worms.

Researchers at the University of Queensland confirmed this astonishing ability using genetic and chemical analysis. But instead of dumping worms into landfills, scientists aim to extract and engineer the plastic-digesting enzymes for large-scale environmental cleanup.

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Nature might just hold the key to solving our plastic waste crisis — one superworm at a time.