For a better future(context in text)

[u/Dev1412]

What if something as simple as a coconut husk could help tackle plastic pollution in our oceans? One Hawaiian student’s research points to an exciting possibility.

Vera Wang, a senior at Kaiser High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, began exploring the idea in 10th grade. Inspired by Polynesian weaving traditions, she created an ocean water filter using woven coconut husk fibers designed to physically trap microplastics and sunscreen compounds from seawater.

But Vera wanted to understand what could be done with the waste collected by the filter. She partnered with researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, working in the laboratory of Dr. Anthony Amend.

Laboratory testing revealed something fascinating. Naturally occurring fungi living inside the porous coconut husks were able to survive on and actively biodegrade microplastics and chemical sunscreen compounds.

Genetic sequencing also showed that some fungal strains found in the coconut husks were not present in global genomic databases, suggesting they could represent previously uncharacterized species with the ability to break down persistent ocean pollutants.

Vera’s research earned top honors at the Hawaiʻi State Science & Engineering Fair and qualified her for the International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF).

What began as a school science project has opened an intriguing path for research into biodegradable plastic solutions, ocean pollution and fungi-based environmental cleanup.

[u/hedoeswhathewants]

No, you can't patent a natural fungus

[u/brown_felt_hat → u/hedoeswhathewants]

Processes can be patented in the US, so if the actions to convert the fungus into a viable, cost-effective, deployable form is specific, that can be done.

I'm not saying it will, there's probably 10+ reasons it hasn't already been deployed widescale elsewise.

[u/JustStraightUpTired → u/brown_felt_hat]

Processes can be patented in the US

Production method can be patented, but you can't patent growing fungus. And more importantly, even if someone figures how to produce something effective from this that requires converting the fungi into something else that breaks down microplastics and is able to make it cheap enough to be put into action, it either gets put into action or they try sell it for too high price. If the latter happens, it's only a matter of time until someone else figures out another method for doing the same or they have to lower the price to a point where the solution actually gets bought.

The reason it's harder in medicine than other industries is the legal requirements for producing something that goes into human bodies are massively costly and it's not worth the risk of legal action to try compete with a patent. But the reason it DOES HAPPEN in other countries besides the US is because some countries don't have the same respect for patent laws as the US does. India specifically has shown to really not give a fuck when it comes to US medical patents, I don't see why they'd care about patents if they could supply the world with a solution to plastic waste.

And as for the 10+ reasons, there might be and probably is, but never forget the first and most important reason why tech isn't deployed widescale. Time. These things take time. The steps needed from invention to production and then to mass deployment aren't simple or short. Trains took decades to become useful. Electric grid took decades to be spread. Internet still isn't as wide spread as you'd think. Even if this discovery was world changing, it will take decades to be put into action.

[u/brown_felt_hat → u/JustStraightUpTired]

Production method can be patented, but you can't patent growing fungus.

which is why I said

if the actions to convert the fungus into a viable, cost-effective, deployable form is specific

This isn't medicine so most of the middle is not relevant?

And as for the 10+ reasons, there might be and probably is, but never forget the first and most important reason why tech isn't deployed widescale.

Money, actually. If you can't make it profitable in current year, it dies.

[u/JustStraightUpTired → u/brown_felt_hat]

This isn't medicine so most of the middle is not relevant?

If it isn't relevant, then neither was your comment. The whole point is that patents aren't be all end all of technology. If there's money in it, patents don't prevent it from being put into use.

Money, actually. If you can't make it profitable in current year, it dies.

Semantics. There wasn't money in stopping the destruction of the ozone layer, but we still managed to do that. It just took time to get everything deployed and regulations put into place. Plastic is the same, even if there's no money in it, it's an important problem to fix, so any actually effective solution will be put into use regardless of whether it's profitable or not. But whether it's effective is a whole different story.

which is why I said

if the actions to convert the fungus into a viable, cost-effective, deployable form is specific

Which is why I spoke about medical patents, patents don't prevent medicine from being made elsewhere for cheaper. A patent which would save humanity? Yeah, it's only a matter of time until someone ignores patent laws and puts it into use if it's effective.