Sometimes, things worry me. Lately, it’s plastic.

I’m pretty sure you know it’s everywhere, because it’s awfully hard to miss. It’s wrapped around the food we buy and forged into the containers that hold practically every product we purchase. It swirls in enormous piles in our oceans and virtually litters the landscape worldwide; especially the ubiquitous plastic bag that drapes itself like an unappealing Christmas decoration wherever it happens to snag. But there’s also a lot of plastic in our environment that’s almost impossible to see. Plastic is in the food and beverages we ingest. It’s in our computers and cellphones and TVs. It’s even in the things we wear. Did you know that when you wash and dry your clothes—mostly those made with synthetic fibers— tiny pieces of plastic brake off and fly into the air? And there you are, calmly folding your shirts and socks and undies, breathing those wee flakes in.

And now you should probably sit down, because it seems that plastic is also in our brains. Currently, that wonderous organ that is the center of who we are is, by weight, 0.5% plastic, which is 50% higher than the amount found in brain samples taken in 2016. Strangely, plastic bits seem to enjoy living in the penthouse, mostly because it’s easy to get there, since a lot of the plastic we harbor comes though our noses in the air we breathe. When compared to human kidneys and livers, brain samples harbored 7 to 30 times more of the stuff.

I realize that, at this point, you’re probably concerned, but don’t worry, because the FDA recently reported that, “Current scientific evidence does not demonstrate that levels of microplastics or nanoplastics detected in foods pose a risk to human health.”

I feel better now, don’t you?

***No, waxworms are not pretty, but they are awfully clever. They actually eat plastic.***

In an effort to prevent people from panicking, I will now introduce you to the humble waxworm. And please don’t be repulsed by the little maggoty-looking guys, because they are magical creatures on par with unicorns and fairies.

Why? They eat plastic. Waxworms, so named because they feast on the wax bees use to make their honeycomb, have a couple of enzymes in their saliva that are able to oxidize the polyethylene in the plastic. The discovery came to light when an amateur beekeeper—who also happened to be a brainiac molecular biologist—grabbed some waxworms out of a hive and put them in a plastic bag, which those clever little critters started munching on. Plastic as food! Isn’t that cool?

It’s estimated that 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally every year. And since it can take centuries for some of it to break down, it’s clear we need a solution, lest we end up in a Wall-E World of plastic waste. So, does that mean we will start hauling tons of waxworms to local landfills to chew up plastic. It’s not likely and, let’s face it, it would be rather gross.

What is more probable is that scientists will study the waxworms, as well as other organisms like fungi and bacteria that are also known to digest plastic. Perhaps they can actually create self-degrading plastics by incorporate those enzymes into the plastic-making process.

Imagine that!

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Lorraine, a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose secretive nature and shadowy past leave many unanswered questions. When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. Bud is beaten down by the gruesome demands of his job and losses in his personal life, but then he meets Eva, an optimistic soul who despite the war can see a positive future. Will Eva’s love be enough to save him?