XA 031 Plastic-Eating Mushrooms, Recycled Furniture, & 25 Years in Space

Talking Points
1. Plastic-eating mushrooms
2. Recycled furniture
3. Space station 150k orbits

Quick Practice
Challenge your knowledge of present perfect and past simple.

Focus Phrase
Burning the midnight oil

Scientists have found a way to help mushrooms eat plastic.

Some kinds of mushrooms can break down plastic. Scientists saw mushrooms like oyster mushrooms make plastic shrink in just a few weeks. A company in Texas made a diaper with mushroom pieces inside. After you throw it away, the mushrooms help it disappear. This could help keep trash out of the environment.

Talking point: What other things in nature can help the Earth?

Language tip: We use the present perfect (have found, have made) for things that happened recently. This is often used to talk about discoveries and scientific breakthroughs.