[shnp]

Imagine this:

Monsanto patents a genetically modified bug that eats plastic, sells it to governments and recycling plants.

Then, once it gets into nature and it starts eating things that isn’t trash, monsanto patents a series of plastics that is resistant to this bug.

Increasing the price of plastic bags by 10x.

Repeat this whole cycle over and over again. It becomes an arms race of patented bug, then patented plastic.

[Wohlf]

I doubt it could really be any worse than how wood rots if you don't handle it properly.

[shnp]

That’s because there is no incentive to ‘artificially’ speed up wood decomposition right now.

With the right incentive and no thought on unintended consequences, it might happen.

You are probably right though.

[ChrisMarshallNY]

I just watched the latest Love, Death and Robots on Netflix, and one of the shorts is about a Scottish farmer, and his rat problem. For some reason, that came to mind, when I read this.

[dmitriid]

There's also Watchbird by Robert Sheckley: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29579

[moffkalast]

> Then, once it gets into nature and it starts eating things that isn’t trash, monsanto litigates all people on whose property the bug can now be found on for patent infringement and wins.

FTFY, based on their usual behaivour.

[barfingclouds]

I hate when people get angry riled up over hypothetical scenarios that will not happen

[shnp]

I am neither angry or riled, and I hope people who read my comment don’t get angry or riled.

It’s just fun to think of the dystopian possibilities of new tech, even if the likelihood of it happening in some cases is very low.

[quixoticelixer-]

This is insane and simply not realistic.

[throw1234651234]

What's not realistic about it? Your garbage can and car are safe in the driveway because nothing eats them. Same for a lot of hose components like gutters now. Pipes too recently.