ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Living machines

Living machines are systems that are designed to imitate the way living things work. Just like how a plant takes in water and nutrients from the ground and turns it into energy, living machines can also take in waste and turn it into something useful.

Imagine you have a big toy machine in front of you. This machine has different parts that look like the parts of a living thing. It has pipes to take in wastewater from homes and businesses, and big tanks filled with water and special bacteria. These bacteria eat the waste and break it down into smaller pieces.

As the waste is broken down, the water becomes cleaner and cleaner. Eventually, the water is clean enough to use again for things like watering plants or flushing toilets.

Living machines are really great because they can help keep the environment clean by turning pollution into something useful. Plus, they are energy efficient and can run on their own without needing a lot of extra power or energy.