the microplastics become biologically active when they come into contact with water. I think we all know the clear and sensible solution to the problem then: ban water.
Microplastics are going to be the next cigarettes, asbestos, radium, AND arsenic-drenched wallpaper. We’re so fucked.
In terms of thematic similarity, sure.
But in terms of magnitude of the impact, microplastics aren’t nearly as dangerous as lead, asbestos, or cigarettes. Those lead to huge quality of life downgrades, and take decades off of a life.
A society that replaces cigarettes with ubiquitous microplastics exposure will still improve the population’s health outcomes, by a lot.
But like what will happen after like 10 mothers of generations exposed to micro plastics?
We need to start cooking a new type of molecule to poison the next generation, we’re getting late! /s
I think microplastics are good for at least a few generations.
Vapes are already here c:
Oh I’m so relieved
What! You mean the bioaccumulating micro particles are not totally harmless? I’m shocked! Shocked I tell you.
What’s next? Are you gonna tell me water is wet, or fire is hot?
Don’t get me wrong, having the empirical validation (along with a mechanism) is nice, but this should cone as a shock to absolutely nobody.
Honestly I remember hearing that plastic molecules are stable and inert, I thought microplastics wouldn’t cause problems beyond accumulating and “clogging”
I mean… fiberglass and asbestos are actually chemically inert, yet they’ll still fuck you up good. It’s a bit silly to think any foreign contamination is harmless.
Lead has a very stable nucleolus. Forever chemicals (PFAS) were named that because they were stable. CFCs were pretty harmless too until we learned about ozone layer.
Anything that industry makes and distributes in large quantities throughout the world is pretty bad because by the time we learn about long term impacts, it’s everywhere
but remember the mantra of these cretins for the past century or few; “the solution to pollution is dilution!”. Never mind all the demonstrably terrible effects of quite a few things in the parts per billion/trillion…
Well, not that shocked.
Are you gonna tell me water is wet, or fire is hot?
Oh god you’re going to make me “ackchually”
If water makes things wet, and water is surrounded by more water is that water not also wet? 🤔
I think wetness has to be a solid surface with liquid sticking to it, and since there is no surface, there is no wetness.
One exception though, ice can be wet (and of course extremely dangerous if it is)
Ice is a form of water, ergo water is wet^•
^• ^some ^conditions ^may ^apply
Papers mentioned in the article above:
Intrinsic physicochemical activity at microplastic–water interfaces https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-11141-y
Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy https://www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10.1073/pnas.2300582121
Whoopsie, corrected link.
You might want to double-check that first link… Looks like it’s pointing to your personal downloads folder.
Mr. McGuire: I just want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Plastics.
Benjamin: Exactly how do you mean?
Mr. McGuire: There’s a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?
A great future they said. 😭
This is why you should be avoiding planet earth.
