Story highlights New research shows that mealworms can eat Styrofoam

The gut bacteria in these worms can transform plastic into safe biodegradable waste

(CNN) Plastic, long considered nonbiodegradable and one of the biggest contributors to global pollution, might have met its match: The small, brownish, squirmy mealworm.

Researchers have learned that the mealworm can live on a diet of Styrofoam and other types of plastic.

Inside the mealworm's gut are microorganisms that are able to biodegrade polyethylene, a common form of plastic, according to new studies published in Environmental Science and Technology by co-authors Professor Jun Yang and his doctorate student Yu Yang of Beihang University, and Stanford University engineer Wei-Min Wu.

"The findings are revolutionary. This is one of the biggest breakthroughs in environmental science in the past 10 years," Wu said in an interview with CNN.

He added that the findings could help solve the plastic pollution problem affecting the world.

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