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Oh, what to do with that leftover E. Coli-tainted beef? Make plastic! Lab researchers in San Diego are holding the beef but genetically engineering E. Coli strains for the purpose of material production. The bacteria is grown in a sugar-water mix, forming the butanediol that then makes plastic. Replacing oil and natural gas, the E. Coli uses one-third less energy, the Genomatica lab reports. Could this be the key to reducing oil dependency or merely a trade-off of dangers?
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