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‘Everywhere we looked we found evidence’: the godfather of microplastics on 20 years of pollution research and the fight for global action
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Richard Thompson, the scientist who coined the term "microplastics" in 2004, reflects on 20 years of pollution research and argues that despite growing scientific understanding, global policy action to reduce plastic pollution has remained frustratingly slow.
Since coining the term microplastics 20 years ago on May 7 2004, Richard Thompson reflects on the progress being made to halt plastic pollution.
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Mind over microplastics — what we still don’t know
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Microplastics have been detected in human brain tissue for the first time, with higher concentrations found in individuals with dementia, though whether the particles cause neurological damage or simply accumulate more in affected brains remains unknown. The finding opens urgent questions about how microplastics cross the blood-brain barrier and what long-term exposure means for cognitive health.
Microplastics' Dangers to Humans and Ecosystems
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Researchers reviewed the global dangers of microplastics to human health and ecosystems, characterizing these particles as a pervasive pollutant with the potential to cause widespread harm across multiple environmental compartments and biological systems.
Microplastics are everywhere — but are they harmful?
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Microplastics are now found in marine animals and the human body, prompting scientists to urgently investigate their potential health effects. While ubiquity is established, the extent of harm to human health remains an open and actively researched question with significant public health implications.
Addressing the Microplastic Pollution: A Societal Challenge
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This comprehensive review maps microplastic sources, transport pathways, and impacts across soil, water, and air compartments, highlighting urban runoff, agriculture, and industrial discharge as key contributors alongside ecological and public health costs. The synthesis underscores the urgent need for standardized long-term monitoring and adaptive policy strategies to address what has become a pervasive, multi-compartment pollution crisis.
Getting a grip on microplastics’ risks
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Researchers and policy experts assessed the current state of microplastic risk evaluation, examining how scientific uncertainty and regulatory gaps complicate efforts to establish safe exposure thresholds and meaningful environmental standards for these pervasive contaminants.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.