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Can Microbes Clean Up Our Oily Mess? [Video]

With an estimated 70 oil spills every day in the U.S. and tons of plastic garbage littering our oceans, humans could really use some help cleaning up.

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


With an estimated 70 oil spills every day in the U.S. and tons of plastic garbage littering our oceans, humans could really use some help cleaning up. In our latest Instant Egghead video, Scientific American associate editor David Biello explains how bacteria and other microbes lend a hand.

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How Going with the Flow Helped Microbes Eat BP's Oil Spill (Scientific American)

Meet the Microbes Eating the Gulf Oil Spill [Slide Show] (Scientific American)

Marine Microbes Digest Plastic (Nature news)

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Credits:

Written & presented by David Biello

Edited by Joss Fong

Produced by Eric R. Olson