Scientists are finding microplastics everywhere they look for them. A new study finds these tiny plastic particles in sea turtle nests on a remote Malaysian island. Researchers warn that microplastics could alter nest temperatures, potentially skewing the sex ratio of incubating turtles that could further endanger species already facing significant challenges. Up to 1,700 green […]
Tag: microplastics
Wildlife and humans face shared health risks from plastic pollution
Humans are surrounded by plastic. So are animals. While numerous studies have shown the wide-ranging health effects in humans linked to plastic, very few have looked at how plastic, especially microplastic, impacts wildlife. That’s beginning to change, contributor Sharon Guynup reports for Mongabay. “Plastic pollution has been found on every continent and in every ocean, […]
Microplastics are sickening and killing wildlife, disrupting Earth systems
Bottlenose dolphins leapt and torpedoed through the shallow turquoise waters off Florida’s Sarasota Bay. Then, a research team moved in, quickly corralling the small pod in a large net. With the speed of a race car pit crew, veterinarians, biologists and their assistants examined the animals, checking vital signs while taking skin, blood and other […]
How Plastic Affects Animals and Harms Them
Since the advent of plastic in the early 20th century, its production has surged tremendously, leading to a staggering accumulation of waste. By 2019, the world had produced around 460 million metric tons of plastic, contributing to approximately 7 billion metric tons of waste over time; tragically, a large portion of this waste ends up […]