Plastic | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/plastic/RSS feed for PlasticenTue, 12 May 2026 16:49:45 +0000Microplastics Are Swirling Around in the Atmosphere, Where They Might Be Contributing to Climate Changehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-are-swirling-around-in-the-atmosphere-where-they-might-be-contributing-to-climate-change-180988704/Airborne plastic particles, particularly colorful ones, absorb more sunlight than they reflect, which can heat the surrounding air, according to a new studyTue, 12 May 2026 16:49:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-are-swirling-around-in-the-atmosphere-where-they-might-be-contributing-to-climate-change-180988704/This High School Student Invented a Filter That Eliminates 96 Percent of Microplastics From Drinking Waterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/this-high-school-student-invented-a-filter-that-eliminates-96-percent-of-microplastics-from-drinking-water-180988363/Virginia teenager Mia Heller’s filtration system harnesses the power of ferrofluid, a magnetic oil that binds to microplastics in flowing waterFri, 20 Mar 2026 17:30:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/this-high-school-student-invented-a-filter-that-eliminates-96-percent-of-microplastics-from-drinking-water-180988363/This Massive Mural Made From 100,000 Bottle Caps Is One Artist's Reinterpretation of 'The Mona Lisa'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-massive-mural-made-from-100000-bottle-caps-is-one-artists-reinterpretation-of-the-mona-list-180988324/Óscar Olivares, who is known for working with recycled materials, completed the 43-foot-tall artwork in Zacamil, El Salvador, in FebruaryTue, 10 Mar 2026 21:20:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-massive-mural-made-from-100000-bottle-caps-is-one-artists-reinterpretation-of-the-mona-list-180988324/Seven Fascinating Inventions Unveiled at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Showhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/seven-fascinating-inventions-unveiled-at-the-2026-consumer-electronics-show-180987980/A smart wheelchair, an A.I.-powered tennis ball launcher, a mirror that reports on your health and more were on display at the annual Las Vegas trade showFri, 09 Jan 2026 18:15:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/seven-fascinating-inventions-unveiled-at-the-2026-consumer-electronics-show-180987980/More Than 1,200 Marine Animal Species Eat Plastic. Ingesting Even a Tiny Amount Can Kill Them, a New Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-1200-marine-animal-species-eat-plastic-ingesting-even-a-tiny-amount-can-kill-them-a-new-study-suggests-180987737/Researchers examined more than 10,000 animal autopsies to figure out how much plastic is too much for ocean wildlifeFri, 21 Nov 2025 17:25:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-1200-marine-animal-species-eat-plastic-ingesting-even-a-tiny-amount-can-kill-them-a-new-study-suggests-180987737/'Ghost Gear,' or Abandoned Fishing Equipment, Is Haunting the Oceans. Here's How Conservationists Are Fighting Backhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ghost-gear-or-abandoned-fishing-equipment-is-haunting-the-oceans-heres-how-conservationists-are-fighting-back-180987605/Discarded nets, lines and traps are a hazard to marine life and ecosystems around the world, but pioneering programs are tackling the problem creatively through education, prevention, ocean cleanups and recyclingFri, 31 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ghost-gear-or-abandoned-fishing-equipment-is-haunting-the-oceans-heres-how-conservationists-are-fighting-back-180987605/Gulls’ Spit-Up Gunk Can Help Ecologists Understand Human Pollutionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/gulls-spit-up-gunk-can-help-ecologists-understand-human-pollution-180987407/Researchers and student volunteers pick up what seabirds throw up, then examine it for clues about our impact on the environmentTue, 30 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/gulls-spit-up-gunk-can-help-ecologists-understand-human-pollution-180987407/Microplastics Are Making Photosynthesis Harder for Plants—and That Could Slash Crop Yields, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-are-making-photosynthesis-harder-for-plants-and-that-could-slash-crop-yields-study-suggests-180986209/On average, these little particles could reduce photosynthesis in plants and algae by up to 12 percent, according to the paperThu, 13 Mar 2025 16:52:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-are-making-photosynthesis-harder-for-plants-and-that-could-slash-crop-yields-study-suggests-180986209/These Bird Nests Are Full of Trash, Including Some That's 30 Years Oldhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-bird-nests-are-full-of-trash-including-some-thats-30-years-old-180986189/Scientists studying Eurasian coots in Amsterdam found layers of decades-old garbage in their urban nestsFri, 07 Mar 2025 19:53:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-bird-nests-are-full-of-trash-including-some-thats-30-years-old-180986189/The Human Brain May Contain as Much as a Spoon's Worth of Microplastics, New Research Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-human-brain-may-contain-as-much-as-a-spoons-worth-of-microplastics-new-research-suggests-180985995/The amount of microplastics in the human brain appears to be increasing over time: Concentrations rose by roughly 50 percent between 2016 and 2024, according to a new studyTue, 04 Feb 2025 20:49:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-human-brain-may-contain-as-much-as-a-spoons-worth-of-microplastics-new-research-suggests-180985995/