I love the planet as if it were alive. I would have done it differently. I would embed molecules that react to humidity, temperature, and light after, say, 10 years. that is, it would be dissolved in bio-garbage like cardboard, that is, it would "know" that it was in a landfill and would begin to decompose. How do you like my idea
Or, this will make plastic waste last longer. But in all seriousness - some plastic products meant for outside use degrade surprisingly fast. And this is simply because long lasting plastics cost more. Thus consumer goods are made with the cheapest type of plastic. Hopefully someone will use this invention to make more sustainable car parts and the like.
In a new development, researchers have used an AI model to discover molecules that make plastics about four times tougher. This discovery holds the potential for longer-lasting materials, which will help reduce plastic waste.