Researchers at Queen’s University say worms that eat plastic could be helping to break down chemicals that are notoriously difficult to recycle.

Kingston

Researchers at Queen's University in Kingston, Canada, are exploring how certain worms can consume and break down styrofoam and other plastics. The team believes that bacteria in the worms' digestive systems possess enzymes capable of chemically degrading some types of plastic.

The ultimate goal is to identify and harness these bacterial enzymes for industrial use, potentially enabling the breakdown and recycling of plastics that are currently challenging to process. The research involves sequencing bacterial genomes to find the right genetic 'keys' for different plastics, while also considering the societal changes needed to address plastic pollution effectively.

Plastic-eating worms could help fix our pollution problem

This is where the magic happens. The magic happening in this Queen's University lab has to be seen to be believed. These worms are eating the styrofoam. Nothing special about this plastic. This is just packaging we get from different things we order and we feed it to the insects as something for them to run around and chew through. Some of what comes out the other end is just, well, smaller pieces of plastic. But this biochemist believes bacteria in the worm's gut are actually helping to chemically break down some of it. And that's because the bacteria inside the worms have the right enzymes to deconstruct the plastic. And so what we want longer term isn't to use the insects to break down plastic, but to figure out how the bacteria inside of them might be breaking down plastic and use those bacteria and the enzymes industrially. These are researchers at Open Plastic, a research program centered here at Queen's that's trying to tackle our enormous plastic pollution problem. They're using biochemistry to disassemble certain kinds of plastic. The challenge is for each different kind of plastic out there, a different biochemical key is needed to unlock it. So researchers like Graham Howe are searching for those keys. That allows us to potentially break down plastic waste into certain constituents that we can then sell back to suppliers. This team of biologists, chemists, and engineers is focusing on some plastics that have been notoriously difficult to recycle. Finding the right enzymes comes down to combing through millions of genes. Right now, this sequencer is sequencing 192 bacterial genomes as we stand here. So in the end, our plastic pollution problem is kind of a big genetics puzzle. So we think some of these bacteria are able to break down the plastic. And to try and understand how they're doing that, we want to look at their DNA so we can see all the genes. These scientists know it'll take more than just fancy chemistry to cure our plastic habit. Plastics are a complicated issue in that modern society can't function without plastics. Plastics in particular have really enabled a convenience lifestyle. A big part of the team here is also studying how our habits would have to change in order to take advantage of whatever is discovered here. Discoveries that might one day take a bite out of our plastic pollution problem. Stu Mills, CBC News, Kingston.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has been blocked from attending the UN General Assembly in New York next month. That's as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has cancelled visas for the Palestinian delegation.

New York

Middle East Conflict

U.S. blocks Palestinian officials from attending UN general assembly

The death toll of a devastating Russian air assault in Kyiv earlier this week has been revised upward to 25. Now European allies suggest Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing U.S. President Donald Trump if he runs out the clock on Washington's peace efforts.

Paris

Ukraine Invasion

Macron says Putin 'played Trump' if Zelenskyy meeting isn’t set soon

The Trump administration is planning expanded immigration operations in Chicago next week, two Department of Homeland Security sources tell CBS News. Camilo Montoya-Galvez reports.

Chicago

Trump planning immigration crackdown in Chicago next week: sources

Iran-backed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi was killed in Israeli airstrikes on Sanaa, according to Yemeni and Israeli reports. The strikes also targeted top military officials, including the group's defence minister.

Sana'a

Iran-backed Houthi PM killed in Israeli airstrikes on Yemen's capital

Thailand's Constitutional Court dismissed 39-year-old Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office on Friday (August 29) on an ethics violation, abruptly ending the term of Thailand's youngest prime minister after just over a year in office.

Bangkok

Thai court ousts PM Paetongtarn for ethics violation

Chinese President Xi Jinping will be flanked by leaders of some of the world's most heavily sanctioned nations at a World War Two military parade in Beijing next week, in a show of solidarity against the West.

Beijing

China to stage massive military parade as Xi hosts sanctioned leaders

The multinational peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL has played a significant role in monitoring the security situation in southern Lebanon for decades, including during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict last year.

Beirut

UN votes to end peacekeeping force in Lebanon after five decades

Russia, set to assume the UN Security Council presidency in October, has proposed extending the resolution that governs the snapback mechanism, potentially intensifying a diplomatic standoff with European powers.

Moscow

Russia slams European push to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran

It's been 13 days since President Trump said he could strike a peace deal in Ukraine, following his meeting with Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin. But Russia shows no signs of backing down, launching an aerial assault on Kyiv.

Kyiv

Russian attack on Kyiv kills more than a dozen people

The shooter in Minneapolis fired more than 100 rounds from a rifle at the church where students at Annunciation Catholic School attended Mass. City and state officials highlighted this fact as they called for stricter gun control.

Minneapolis

Minneapolis officials call for stronger gun laws after school shooting

The shooter who killed 2 kids and injured 17 at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis had ties to the church where he targeted children celebrating a new school year during mass.

Annunciation school shooter had knowledge of church he targeted

The White House is responding to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Susan Monarez's refusal to step down from her role. CBS News' Olivia Rinaldi reports.

Washington

White House reacts to CDC director refusing to step down from role

In Tehran on Thursday, Iran’s currency traded at over 1 million to $1. At the time of the 2015 accord, it traded at 32,000 to $1, showing the currency’s precipitous collapse in the time since.

Tehran

Europe prepares sanctions as Iran's currency falls

Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed in a school shooting at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. Warning, this video is difficult to watch.

FBI investigating Minneapolis Catholic school shooting as hate crime

UN officials and aid agencies have warned that famine in Gaza is no longer a looming threat but a present reality, with children increasingly dying of hunger. In a blunt address to the UN Security Council, officials described the famine and widespread hunger in the enclave as “engineered” and “man-made” disasters.

UN Security Council affirms Gaza famine is manmade

Denmark summoned the top U.S. diplomat in the country to protest what Danish officials say is an unprecedented effort by people close to U.S. President Donald Trump to conduct secret influence operations in Greenland.

Copenhagen

Denmark accuses U.S. of covert operations in Greenland

Two young children were killed, and 17 others were injured in a shooting during a Catholic Mass packed with young students in Minneapolis. The gunman is also dead.

Minneapolis Catholic school shooting leaves two children dead

The group is accused of attempting to infiltrate Greenlandic society, including allegedly recruiting locals for a new independence movement from Denmark, according to the Danish public broadcaster, DR, who was first to break the story.

Nuuk

Denmark summons U.S envoy over claimed interference in Greenland

SpaceX on Tuesday launched its Super Heavy-Starship, the most powerful rocket in the world, for a test flight after three other flights failed earlier this year. NASA hired SpaceX to build a lunar lander version of Starship to carry astronauts to the moon.

Starbase

SpaceX launches Super Heavy-Starship in test flight

The United States has doubled tariffs on many imports from India to 50 percent, as U.S. President Donald Trump followed through on his threat to punish New Delhi for buying discounted Russian oil.

New Delhi

Global Tariffs

U.S. raises India tariffs to 50 percent over Russian oil purchases

President Donald Trump said he would seek the death penalty for murders in Washington, as part of a crackdown on what he calls out-of-control crime in the US capital.

Trump endorses death penalty return in Washington D.C.

As the Israeli military gives an initial assessment of deadly strikes on a Gaza hospital, hundreds of thousands of protesters urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire with Hamas in exchange for a hostage deal.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Protesters urge Netanyahu to reach hostage deal

Cracker Barrel says it will go back to its old logo after facing intense backlash and seeing its company value to sink by nearly $100 million after switching to a new design last week. In a statement, Cracker Barrel thanked their guests for sharing their voices.

Cracker Barrel scrapping new logo, returning to old one after backlash

The small West Tennessee town of Mason, just 2 square miles in size, is home to about 1,000 people. But its residents are now divided by what a new immigration detention facility will mean for the area.

Mason

Small Tennessee town divided over new ICE detention facility

A standoff is brewing between President Trump and economist Lisa Cook. Mr. Trump tried to fire her, claiming "there is sufficient cause" to believe that Cook made false statements on one or more mortgage agreements.

Trump clashes with Fed board member Lisa Cook, pushing to oust her

Protesters demanding an end to the Gaza war and the return of hostages to their homes took to the streets in Israel on Tuesday ahead of a security cabinet meeting scheduled for the evening.

Israeli protesters demand hostage deal as cabinet set to meet

Australia accused Iran on Tuesday (August 26) of executing two antisemitic arson attacks in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne and gave Tehran's ambassador seven days to leave the country, its first such expulsion since World War Two.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia expels Iranian envoy over antisemitic attacks

President Donald Trump announced the removal of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, the only Black woman to serve on the board. Critics call it an attack on the Fed's independence, while Cook says no legal cause exists for her firing.

Trump says he fired Lisa Cook from Federal Reserve board

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating new National Guard units, including a rapid-response force to handle what the administration calls civil disturbances.

Breakdown