Wachsmottenlarven fressen Plastiktüten – Fake-News oder nicht?: Naturwissenschaftliche Überprüfung einer Sensationsmeldung

At the end of April 2017, online magazines, print media, Youtube, radio and television reported about wax moth larvae that had eaten their way out of a plastic bag of a hobby beekeeper. The special feature here: The wax moth larvae should digest polyethylen, according to this description, to ethylene glycol - a sought after raw material of the chemical industry. A solution to the global plastic waste problem would be in sight! Several scientists appear in front of television cameras, in many newspapers and magazines appear articles on the subject. Four months later, however, the sensational results are questioned. What is true, what is wrong?

The aim of this article is to sensitize students to the topic "Recycling of plastics with biological means" (here: wax moth larva). At the same time, they should be enabled to critically scrutinize reports with a scientific background and, if contradictions arise, as in the case described above, be able to form their own opinion with the help of materials that they have themselves sought and / or provided.