Plastics
Scientists Want to Study Ocean Plastic From Space
"Boy, what an advance it would be to be able to see the world in a snapshot."
New Report Says BPA Effects Were 'Minimal' in Mice
This is the first of two parts of a major study evaluating the potential health effects of BPA. The final conclusions won't be available until 2019.
Brazil Carnival Glitter Poses Threat To The Environment
Microplastic glitter is a staple for Rio Carnival costumes, but tiny plastic sheets pose threats to the environment and marine life.
Plastic Pollution Found at Rural Arctic Site
Norway's Arctic coast is littered with microplastics.
99 Percent of Microplastic in the Ocean is Missing
Fluorescent dye could be the answer to finding the ocean's missing plastics.
Even in Deep Trenches, Critters Are Eating Plastic
It’s official: Plastic is utterly inescapable.
Scientists Find New Way to Make Bioplastics
This process could revolutionize how bioplastics are produced.
Polar Bears Are Not Growing Extra Testicles
Plastic may be causing problems for polar bears. But is this one of them?
Japanese Tsunami Debris Carried New Species to U.S.
It's still coming, six years later.
Humans Have Made More Than 9 Billion Tons of Plastic
The total is approximately 25,000 times the weight of the Empire State Building.
Plastic-Eating Mealworms Can Safely Digest Styrofoam
In lab tests, researchers found that the larvae form of the darkling beetle can biodegrade plastic foam.
90 Percent of Seabirds Have Plastic in Their Stomachs
As more plastic reaches the oceans, more finds its way into animals’ bodies.
Eight Million Tons of Trash Added to Ocean From Land Each Year
Plastic can transmit pollutants into the food web.
There’s Even More Plastic on the Ocean Floor Than on Its Surface
On the seafloor, there are 4 billion plastic fibers in every area one-third the size of New York’s Central Park.
The Plastic-Eating Fungi That Could Solve Our Garbage Problem
The jungles of Ecuador may hold a secret weapon against plastic pollution.
There Are 270,000 Tons of Plastic Garbage Floating Atop the World’s Oceans
A global survey estimates there are 5.3 trillion pieces of plastic circulating on ocean surfaces.