Researchers have made a breakthrough in creating degradable plastics that could help reduce plastic waste. These new, special plastics are made from a protein found in the wings of flies, and could potentially be used as a sustainable and environmentally friendly replacement for traditional plastics. The protein, resilin, is a rubber-like material that makes up much of the flexible tissue found in the wings of flies. The researchers found that by combining resilin with other proteins, they were able to create a material that was not only durable and flexible, but also biodegradable. This means that the plastic would eventually break down into harmless elements, reducing the amount of plastic waste building up in our environment. The researchers are hopeful that this new material could eventually replace traditional plastic packaging and other items that are currently made from plastic.

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source: Phys.org