Metal-Eating "Superworms"!!!!

[roseembolism]

Seriously!  According to the article in Discvoer Magazine:

Newly evolved "superworms" that feast on toxic waste could help cleanse polluted industrial land, a new study says.

These hardcore heavy metal fans, unearthed at disused mining sites in England and Wales, devour lead, zinc, arsenic, and copper.

The earthworms excrete a slightly different version of the metals, making them easier for plants to suck up. Harvesting the plants would leave cleaner soil behind.

So all I want now is for them to grow up to 60' long, and be able to eat concrete blocks, houses, cars, small yappy dogs and the like.  Then it would be a wonderful product of lost bioengineering science to have rampaging (well, actually slowly squirming) through my 'Under the Green Moon' setting.

Comments

[mithriltabby]

“What do you mean, we have to save the world?” asked the young hero.
“Only you can restore the cube-square law and return humans to their rightful destiny...”

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

The bioengineer looked at the 10,000 pound worm and shook his head in disgust. Currently it more closely resembled a giant elongated pancake, or a hot dog bun that had been stepped on than an annelid terror. With a hollw pop, the skin on the side opened, and a gush of internal fluids began pouring out.

As the giant worm began deflating, the bioengineer made a note on his notepad. "Hmm. Square cube law, no skeleton. OK, that's a design flaw we'll have to work around."