<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jul/24/australian-scientists-genetically-engineer-common-fly-species-to-eat-more-of-humanitys-waste>
"A team of Australian scientists is genetically engineering a common fly
species so that it can eat more of humanity’s organic waste while producing
ingredients for making everything from lubricants and biofuels to high-grade
animal feeds.
Black soldier flies are already being used commercially to consume organic
waste, including food waste, but tweaking their genetics could widen the range
of waste their larvae consume while, in the process, producing fatty compounds
and enzymes.
In a scientific paper, the team based at Sydney’s Macquarie University outlined
their hopes for the flies and how they could also cut the amount of
planet-warming methane produced when organic waste breaks down.
“We are heading towards a climate disaster, and landfill waste releases
methane. We need to get that to zero,” Dr Kate Tepper, a lead author of the
paper, said.
Dr Maciej Maselko runs an animal synthetic biology lab at Macquarie University
where Tepper has already started engineering the flies.
Maselko said insects would be the “next frontier” in dealing with the planet’s
waste management problem, which weighs in at about 1bn tonnes a year in food
waste alone.
Black soldier flies are found in all continents except Antarctica. “If you’ve
got a compost bin, then you’ve probably got some,” Maselko said.
The fly larvae can eat double their body weight a day and, like other insects,
their larvae are used for animal feed. Maselko said the flies could already do
the job of consuming waste faster than microbes.
Scientists are looking for ways to create circular economies, where waste is
turned from being a problem to becoming part of a process of reuse and income
generation."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
