February 22nd.

Dongying.

Kyoto Institute of Technology.

In a biological laboratory, Professor Shosuke Yoshida, who has long been engaged in the field of research on plastic-decomposing fungi, is conducting experiments with several researchers.

Professor Yoshida has conducted in-depth research in the field of plastic-decomposing fungi, and is a frequent guest in major biological journals, and in 17 years, he even published a paper in Science with a fungus that quickly decomposes plastics.

Since Homo sapiens has decided to release plastic-decomposing fungi, it naturally won't be released casually.

This big black cauldron is not something that can be caught by a casual cat or dog, and a suitable person must be found.

After careful screening, the Field Support Department finally set its sights on Dongying, because in this field, Dongying people have indeed done a lot of research, and even obtained a lot of results.

For example, Professor Yoshida has studied a fungus that can quickly decompose plastics, and only needs to be in a humid environment of 29 degrees Celsius, about 6 weeks, to decompose a predetermined plastic sample.

He also published the paper in Science.

When Chen Jianxiong saw it, he was immediately overjoyed.

Good! Very good! That's you!

And there is another benefit to choosing Dongying as the first release area.

That is, it is the tail of winter in the northern hemisphere, and the Siberian high pressure still controls the central and northern parts of Asia, and the northwest wind blows from the east, and the warm current from the east will move towards the Bering Sea and North America.

In Professor Yoshida's laboratory.

At this time, dozens of cockroaches entered the air circulation ducts of the laboratory.

The cockroaches began to spew liquid into the surrounding plastic pipes, which concealed a fungus similar to the plastic-decomposing fungus that Professor Yoshida had discovered.

This is a plastic fungus that was modified by Li Qingye himself through genetic recombination technology.

Considering that the speed of decomposition of plastic in the previous variety was too fast, Li Qingye once again inserted five special inhibitory genes to limit its decomposition ability.

Let the plastic fungus only be above 22 degrees Celsius, the air humidity is greater than 50%, and it is easy to be killed by ultraviolet rays, potassium permanganate and copper hydroxide can inhibit its reproduction.

In the most suitable environment, the decomposition rate of ordinary polyethylene is 8 months; For natural rubber, the rate of decomposition is 34 months; For other kinds of plastics, the decomposition rate is 10~28 months.

If the temperature and humidity are not suitable for high latitudes, high altitudes, and deserts, the decomposition rate will drop several times, or even dozens of times.

After all, the restriction that temperatures above 22 degrees Celsius can reproduce only in winter, and the winter in the middle and high latitudes can suppress the massive spread of plastic fungi.

At this point, Li Qingye is a little kinder, otherwise he can put the original variety, which is the real ferocity.

With temperature restrictions, the tropics are the most affected.

But in the tropics, Southeast Asia is Homo sapiens, South Asia is Tianzhu, Africa is primitive, and Latin America is just an economic colony of America.

The impact on plastic products in these areas is not too serious, and as for cables, it is possible to extend their service life by adding inhibitors.

In fact, the decomposition rate of plastic decomposers is not as fast as imagined.

Because many plastic products are not films and plastic bags, but tires with relatively large thickness, the fungus can only quickly decompose its surface layer, and the plastic inside, because of the lack of oxygen and moisture, the decomposition rate will slow down with the increase of thickness.

This is like a piece of paper and a book, in the same environment, the surface of the book and the paper aging rate is about the same, but the paper inside the book is several times slower.

From the beginning, Li Qingye just wanted to eliminate the microplastics that spread into nature, and there was still a limit to the plastic products currently used in human society.

……

In Professor Yoshida's laboratory.

The cockroaches that had done their job had disappeared without a trace.

However, the plastic fungus they left behind began to spread to the entire laboratory and even to the entire Kyoto Institute of Technology along with the air circulation system.

At this time, the temperature in Toei is rising rapidly, and the temperature in Tokyo is already above 22 degrees Celsius during the day due to the warm current of Toei in March.

Professor Yoshida, who was still immersed in research in the laboratory, did not know that a black cauldron was flying towards him at this time.

Until a week later.

Assistant Koike Yezi hurriedly came in: "Professor, there is a problem with the laboratory sample. ”

"Nani? What went wrong? Professor Yoshida quickly put down the thermos cup in his hand.

"The decomposition rate of samples 23~34 has changed a bit, and some white hyphae have grown."

Professor Yoshida asked curiously, "Isn't this normal?" Plastic decomposition bacteria grow mycelium! What's all the fuss about? ”

Koike Hazi hurriedly explained, "But the mycelial morphology of those samples is different from the previous ones. ”

"A natural variant has emerged?" Professor Yoshida had a look of excitement.

Then he went straight to the laboratory with his assistant.

When he arrived at the lab, he saw that the inside of the fermented glass jars, the plastic bottles and the plastic bottle caps, were covered with white plaque.

The diameter of these white patches is about 1~3 cm, and small hyphae extend out to the periphery, which are connected with other white patches.

Professor Yoshida raised his glasses: "It's really different, collect some samples and come out, I'm going to do genetic testing." ”

"Hey! Professor! ”

Soon several researchers extracted five samples from several samples and began genetic testing.

Through an electron microscope, Professor Yoshida saw that the morphology of these "newly mutated" plastic-decomposing bacteria was indeed different from the strains he had studied before.

He looked at the screen on the computer and muttered to himself, "Is it really a mutant?" Hope is a good variant. ”

The whole lab is very busy because of these new mutated fungi.

After all, if they really research something, they may be able to gain fame and fortune.

Now Dongying's economy is almost in a state of collapse, many laboratory funds have been cut, and many researchers have gone their separate ways.

Either to Homo sapiens, or to be sucked away by the Far East and America.

Many of the Dongying people who are willing to stay now are the ones with better family environments, and they are used to being in Dongying, and they have no idea of leaving at all.

Including Professor Yoshida, their family property is not small, and Homo sapiens and America are not very attractive to them.

Even some people who think more traditionally still think that those who run away are a bunch of garbage and traitors.

This situation is actually very normal and unavoidable.

Several researchers who stayed behind were secretly thinking in their hearts at this time, this time they had to work harder, hoping to follow Professor Yoshida in the last "Science", so that those researchers who left would regret their original choice.

It's just that they don't know that this time it's not so sure whether it will be on Science, but there is no problem making international headlines.

At this time, the plastic decomposition bacteria had spread from Kyoto Institute of Technology to the entire Tokyo metropolitan area, and were rapidly spreading in all directions with carriers and ocean currents.

An unstoppable plastic crisis has begun to enter the countdown.

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(End of chapter)