Microplastics are everywhere, but are they harming us?
Microplastics have been found in the ocean and the air, in our food and water. They have been found in a wide range of body tissues, including the heart, liver, kidneys and even testicles......»»
Shape matters: Study finds microplastic fibers may travel as far as the stratosphere
How far microplastics travel in the atmosphere depends crucially on particle shape, according to a recent study by scientists at the University of Vienna and the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization in Göttingen. Although spherica.....»»
Bottled water can contain hundreds of thousands of previously uncounted tiny plastic bits, study finds
In recent years, there has been rising concern that tiny particles known as microplastics are showing up basically everywhere on Earth, from polar ice to soil, drinking water and food. Formed when plastics break down into progressively smaller bits,.....»»
Targeted pest control with RNA spray
Protecting plants efficiently against pests without harming other organisms—this is the objective of the joint research project ViVe_Beet, which is coordinated by the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI). Scientists from the JKI Institute for Plant Protect.....»»
AI predicts the influence of microplastics on soil properties
Plastic waste and its buildup in nature has become a major environmental concern in recent times. While plastic pollution in the oceans is undoubtedly a problem, the presence of plastics in soils around the world is also known to cause severe environ.....»»
Microplastic-associated pathogens in aquatic environments: A hidden health risk
Microplastics, which are minute plastic particles under 5mm in size, are becoming ever more ubiquitous in marine and freshwater ecosystems around the globe. These particles, derived from primary and secondary sources, such as industrial raw material.....»»
Hurricane Larry dumped 100,000 microplastics per sq. meter on Newfoundland each day
It's another sign of how plasticized our environment has become. Enlarge (credit: J Marshall/NASA/ESA/T. Pesquet/Alamy) As Hurricane Larry curved north in the Atlantic in 2021, sparing the eastern seaboard of the United.....»»
Study shows how hurricane acted as a highway to transport microplastics to remote part of Newfoundland
When a hurricane approaches and crosses land, severe damage can occur—often leaving an obvious trail of physical destruction. What's less obvious to the naked eye is how these storms can carry harmful microplastics across the world......»»
Saturday Citations: Lead, microplastics and coal on our filthy planet—plus, faster-charging lithium-ion batteries
This week, we reported on new developments in lithium-ion batteries, and a real industrial pollution hat trick with stories on coal, lead and microplastics......»»
Researchers describe a more sustainable process to recycle biobased polycarbonates
A month ago, the European Union banned glitter. This action was part of an effort that aims to reduce the presence of microplastics in our environment by 30%. Waste plastics are a serious problem for our ecosystems, and the push for recycling plastic.....»»
Judge tosses social platforms’ Section 230 blanket defense in child safety case
Judge: Section 230 doesn’t cover platform design defects allegedly harming kids. Enlarge (credit: ljubaphoto | E+) This week, some of the biggest tech companies found out that Section 230 immunity doesn't shield them f.....»»
A not so silver lining: Microplastics found in clouds could affect the weather
From the depths of the seas to snow on mountains and even the air above cities, microplastics are turning up increasingly often. Now, in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, researchers have analyzed microplastics in clouds above mountains. Th.....»»
Microplastics come from everywhere—yes, that includes sex toys
As more research reveals how many microplastic particles humans are ingesting and absorbing in their bloodstreams, Duke and Appalachian State researchers led by Joana Sipe and Christine Hendren have examined a source for microplastic absorption many.....»»
Scientists test new method for identifying small microplastics
Microplastics, from the beads that were once commonplace in cosmetics to the weathered and broken-down remnants of trash, are now ubiquitous in marine and inland waters around the world. To date, though, scientists have struggled to identify which pl.....»»
Zooplankton in ocean and freshwater are rapidly escalating the global environmental threat of plastics, finds study
A collaborative research team lead by the University of Massachusetts Amherst has recently revealed that rotifers, a kind of microscopic zooplankton common in both fresh and ocean water around the world, are able to chew apart microplastics, breaking.....»»
Senate votes to reject "Buy America" EV charging waiver
The White House argued the Republican bill would eliminate entirely the domestic manufacturing requirement for government-funded EV chargers "thereby harming domestic manufacturing and American jobs.".....»»
Dozens of states sue Instagram-parent Meta over "addictive" features and youth mental health harms
Dozens of states sued Instagram-parent Meta on Tuesday, accusing the social media giant of harming young users' mental health through allegedly addictive features such as infinite news feeds and frequent notifications that demand users' constant atte.....»»
Scientists create artificial protein capable of degrading microplastics in bottles
Every year, around 400 million tons of plastics are produced worldwide, a number that increases by around 4% annually. The emissions resulting from their manufacture are one of the elements contributing to climate change, and their ubiquitous presenc.....»»
Ocean circulation, ice melt and increasing tourism could all be contributing to Arctic microplastics
Scientists measured microplastic concentrations in the highly productive Barents Sea and suggest that ocean circulation, ice melt, tourism, inadequate waste management, shipping and fishing are all likely contributors......»»
Federal TikTok ban – new law is tried; third US state sues [U]
Update: A third US state is suing TikTok for harming children “by intentionally keeping young users spending unhealthy amounts of time on the short-video sharing platform.” There have been threats/promises of a federal TikTok ban since 2020, b.....»»
Scientists develop microplastics detection kit with AI technology
A research team led by Dr. Ho Sang Jung of the Department of Nano-Bio Convergence at the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), a research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, in collaboration with the KOTITI Testing & Research Inst.....»»