Biopitting

Biopitting is when tiny living organisms (like bacteria or fungi) eat away at the surface of a material, like metal or stone, making small holes or pits. It's kind of like how you eat your favorite snacks, but instead of using your teeth, these tiny organisms use special chemicals to break down and digest the material they're on. Biopitting can be a big problem because it weakens the material and can cause things to break or corrode faster. Think of it like a small ant eating away at a piece of candy - over time, it can make the candy weaker and eventually it might break. Scientists study biopitting to better understand how materials can be protected from these tiny organisms.