What microplastics might be doing to our intestines
Plastics are among the most ubiquitous manmade materials—we wear them, build with them, play with them, ship goods in them, and then we throw them into the waste stream. Ultimately, they can break down into tiny particles that get into our food sup.....»»
Big-city coastal whales consume millions of microplastics every day
Whales in New Zealand's Hauraki Gulf consume about three million microplastics per day, a new study has found......»»
Microplastics aren"t just a problem for the ocean, they"re in our soils too
One of the environmental legacies of COVID-19 may well be vast amounts of plastic pollution. Since the beginning of the pandemic, scientists have warned of the long-term threat of littering face masks and other PPE into the environment......»»
Rainfall causes microplastic transport into the atmosphere
Oceans, lakes and rivers often contain a large number of microplastic particles on their surface. Impacting raindrops cause many droplets with an almost equally high concentration of microplastics to be thrown up into the air. When they evaporate in.....»»
Woodrat microbiomes: It"s who you are that matters most
Every mammal hosts a hidden community of other organisms—the microbiome. Their intestines teem with complex microbial populations that are critical for nutrition, fighting disease and degrading harmful toxins. Throughout their lives, mammals are ex.....»»
Are scientists contaminating their own samples with microfibers?
More than 70% of microplastics found in samples from oceans and rivers could come from the scientists collecting them......»»
Into the "plastisphere": Scientists comb Japan waters to study new eco threat
A boat's crew casts a net into the seemingly clean waters off Japan's Izu peninsula, but not to catch fish—they are scooping up microplastics to learn more about the pollution's impact on marine life......»»
Microplastics may be cooling—and heating—Earth’s climate
Tiny bits of plastic swirling in the sky could be subtly affecting the climate. Enlarge / Thought climate change was already complicated? Now scientists have to consider the influence of tiny bits of atmospheric plastic. (credit: Sank.....»»
Microplastics are in the air we breathe and in Earth"s atmosphere, and they affect the climate
Microplastics are found in the most remote places on land and in the ocean as well as in our food. Now several studies around the world have confirmed they are also present in the air we breathe......»»
How Airborne Microplastics Affect Climate Change
Like other aerosols, these tiny particles scatter and absorb sunlight, influencing Earth’s temperature -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
Gut Bacteria Change as You Get Older--and May Accelerate Aging
Microbe types in older people’s intestines are different and are linked to disease -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
Microplastics May Be Cooling—and Heating—Earth’s Climate
Tiny bits of plastic are swirling in the sky, and a new model suggests they could be subtly affecting the climate......»»
Microplastics in belugas worked their way up food chain, researchers find
Microplastics are being found in even the most remote waters, say Simon Fraser University researchers who studied how the particles ended up in the stomachs of beluga whales through prey......»»
Researchers engineer microorganisms to tackle PET plastic pollution
From overflowing landfills to floating garbage islands in the oceans to microplastics in remote wilderness areas, billions of tons of discarded plastic have created a global pollution crisis......»»
Research shows how plastics threaten biodiversity of marine life
New research at Queen's University highlights the impact that microplastics are having on hermit crabs, which play an important role in balancing the marine ecosystem. .....»»
More microplastics are entering the ocean from disposable masks
The enormous surge of face-mask use since the beginning of the global lockdown in March 2020 has saved countless human lives, a crucial component to limiting the transmission of the novel coronavirus. But with 129 billion masks being consumed globall.....»»
Eliminating microplastics on farmland
In many countries, farmers and gardeners use mulch films to increase their crop yields. The films are often made of polyethylene and can be used to control weed growth, soil temperature and water consumption. Unfortunately the petroleum-based materia.....»»
Baby Poop Is Loaded With Microplastics
An alarming new study finds that infant feces contain 10 times more polyethylene terephthalate (aka polyester) than an adult’s......»»
Infants have more microplastics in their feces than adults, study finds
Microplastics—tiny plastic pieces less than 5 mm in size—are everywhere, from indoor dust to food to bottled water. So it's not surprising that scientists have detected these particles in the feces of people and pets. Now, in a small pilot study,.....»»
Maritime rope could be adding billions of microplastics to the ocean every year
The hauling of rope on maritime vessels could result in billions of microplastic fragments entering the ocean every year, according to new research......»»
Microplastics: A trojan horse for metals
The fact that microplastics can accumulate organic pollutants from the environment and transport them has been known for some time. What is new, however, is that metals can also be transported in this manner. In addition, the smaller the particles, t.....»»