A bag of worms makes him discover the secret of plastic degradation.

[China Packaging Reuters shortly before the usual "focusing instead on" engaged in a handful of high-profile research Yang Jun, the CC took the pulpit. In this publicity forum dedicated to the Chinese version of TED , the professor at the School of Chemistry of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics told a story about " bugs eating plastics " , but he did not expect that he would become " popular " .

"The challenge is impossible, the insects eat plastic " "The 500 years of the evil , the worst invention of the 20th century, the Beihang scientists used a bug to heal "... The circle of friends was screened by these titles, and Yang Jun was somewhat uncomfortable.

Plastic worms can "eat"? Is " white pollution " saved? The most basic questions brought about by common sense made Yang Jun’s speech quickly become a hot spot. Up to now, Yang Jun’s speech video has been broadcasted at nearly 4 million, creating a new high in the platform’s speech.

The speech also made the public aware that the expert in the field of polymer materials and the former president of Peking University, Academician Zhou Qifeng, evaluated the findings as " world-class work " - insects can " eat " plastic.

Yang Jun, who has been engaged in research on sewage biological treatment for many years, has opened up a whole new field of research because of a bag of millet. That's right, it's still a bag of worms.

" This discovery shows that men must cook. " Yang Jun said with a smile.

Returning to the " bug worm " , this story begins with a big plane. "May 5, 2017, Chinese independent design and development, international cooperation in manufacturing a successful maiden flight of C919 large aircraft, and I find 'bugs to eat plastic' It was in November 2003 to July 2004, during a demonstration of large aircraft project ' Empty window period ' . " Yang Jun said.

Originally, the large-scale aircraft project was the “ key event ” among the 16 major special projects deployed in the “National Medium- and Long-Term Science and Technology Development Plan ( 2006-2020 ) ” . Yang Jun, then deputy director of the Beihang Science and Technology Department, served as the team leader of the argumentation team.

"From November 2003 to July 2004, we have been in a high-intensity work state, Spring Festival in 2004, can finally rest a few days, I was thinking to do the cooking." Said Yang Jun, and he in the cupboard The millet in a plastic bag was found to have a lot of worms, and the bag was smashed with many small holes, and moths flew out.

These small holes are just like the apples that lie on Newton's head, and most people have seen them. However, Yang Jun, a Ph.D. student who graduated from Tsinghua Environmental Engineering, had an idea in his mind: Did the insects eat the plastic after biting the plastic bag? If you eat it, do you digest it?

" If you can confirm that the insects actually eat plastic and break it down, this will be a very important discovery. " Yang Jun said.

Because, in the past 50 years, global plastic production has increased 20 times, resulting in a cumulative production of 7 billion tons of plastic waste. However, due to the physicochemical properties of the plastic itself, its natural degradation requires at least 500 years. In recent years, the advent of degradable plastics has greatly increased the rate of degradation of plastics, but it still takes two to three years. Achieving plastic degradation is a subject of research for many years.