Microplastics Are Making Photosynthesis Harder for Plants—and That Could Slash Crop Yields, Study Suggests
On average, these little particles could reduce photosynthesis in plants and algae by up to 12 percent, according to the paper
These Bird Nests Are Full of Trash, Including Some That’s 30 Years Old
Scientists studying Eurasian coots in Amsterdam found layers of decades-old garbage in their urban nests
The Human Brain May Contain as Much as a Spoon’s Worth of Microplastics, New Research Suggests
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 study
A Little Girl Dropped a Message in a Bottle Into a Lake. Her Daughter’s Classmate Found It 26 Years Later
Makenzie Van Eyk wrote the letter as part of a class project in 1998, when she was in fourth grade. Recently, the note was discovered by a boy who goes to school with her daughter—who is now in fourth grade herself
Scientists Have Found Microplastics in Dolphin Breath for the First Time
Each of the 11 dolphins sampled exhaled at least one suspected particle of microplastic, which researchers say “highlights how extensive environmental microplastic pollution is”
Here’s How Weather Balloons Can Harm Marine Animals
Latex balloons designed to collect high-altitude data can become a threat after they burst
See 15 Winning Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest
Breathtaking shots shine a light on the wonders of wildlife and the threats that human activities pose to the natural world
Breast Cancer Cases Are Rising Among Younger Women, Report Finds
Though breast cancer mortality is declining overall, Asian American women and women under 50 have experienced an uptick in diagnoses of the disease
Scientists Find Microplastics in Human Brain Tissue Above the Nose
A new study identified the tiny pollutants in the olfactory bulbs of eight cadavers, suggesting microplastics can travel through the nose to the brain
Humans Pollute the Environment With 57 Million Tons of Plastic Each Year, Study Suggests
Scientists used A.I. to model local waste management in 50,000 municipalities worldwide and say the results suggest a need to improve access to waste collection systems
The Long, Strange History of Teflon, the Indestructible Product Nothing Seems to Stick to
Chemists accidentally discovered the material in 1938, and since then it has been used for everything from helping to create the first atomic bomb to keeping your eggs from sticking to your frying pan
What Myths About the Anthropocene Get Wrong
These ten misconceptions underplay how much we have altered the global environment and undermine the new perspective we need to deal with a drastically changed world
Microplastics Are Contaminating Ancient Archaeological Sites
New research suggests plastic particles may pose a threat to the preservation of historic remains
Plastics Contain Thousands More Chemicals Than Thought, and Most Are Unregulated, Report Finds
A new database catalogs 16,000 chemicals found in plastics and identifies more than 4,200 that are potentially hazardous to human health and the environment
Boiling Tap Water Could Help Remove 80 Percent of Its Microplastics, Study Suggests
Minerals in some tap water can capture tiny plastic particles when the water is boiled, making them easier to filter away, according to a new study
One Liter of Bottled Water May Contain 240,000 Tiny Plastic Fragments
A new technique reveals that the liquid may contain 10 to 1000 times more plastic pieces than previously thought
The Surprising Possibilities of See-Through Wood
Stronger than plastic and tougher than glass, the resin-filled material is being exploited for smartphone screens, insulated windows and more
Scientists Have Created Synthetic Sponges That Soak Up Microplastics
Made from starch and gelatin, the biodegradable sponges remove as much as 90 percent of microplastics in tap water and seawater
Why the Ken Doll Will Never Truly Emerge From Barbie’s Shadow
The blockbuster film sparks a podcast discussion about why Ken can’t possibly be (k)enough
Lake Tahoe’s Clear Water Is Brimming With Tiny Plastics
The pristine lake has a higher concentration of microplastics than the water near some floating garbage patches in the oceans, according to a new study
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