The tiny waxworm went from zero to hero in 2017 when researchers discovered the caterpillar could potentially help solve one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems: plastic waste. The ...

This story is part of Fix’s Climate-Fiction Issue, which explores how fiction can create a better reality. Check out the full issue here, including the short stories in Fix’s first-ever ...

See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. A molecule found in wax-worm saliva has been found to break down one of ...

The saliva of wax worms, which are moth larvae that infest beehives, may be a key to breaking down one of the most commonly produced plastics and could ultimately aid in the fight to reduce plastic ...

Enzymes discovered in wax worm saliva show potential for large-scale plastic biodegradation. Naturally occurring enzymes found in wax worm saliva have been shown to degrade polyethylene within a few ...

Federica Bertocchini at the Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research and her colleagues have isolated unique, plastic-eating enzymes from the saliva of wax worms. These biological agents break ...

A species of caterpillar may provide answers on how to best eradicate plastic waste, a 300 million ton per year problem. The waxworm, researchers discovered in 2017, is seemingly able to eat through ...