For many scientists, 2025 was the year of microplastics. It’s only in the past year or so that they have begun to understand that the tiny plastics are in our bodies and food as well. Here’s what we know now:

Mark the date and get ready: MICRO 2026 is happening (yes, it’s official!) and we want you all to join us in beautiful Cádiz from 12–16 October 2026 for a fantastic week of plastic science and community. micro2026.sciencesconf.org

Celebrity chefs told Californians that PFAS-coated pans were “safe,” and successfully lobbied Gavin Newsom to veto a bill phasing them out They didn’t mention they all sell PFAS-coated pans. New joint investigation with @mirandagreen.bsky.social and @atmosmag.bsky.social is out:

Salt water laced with cancer-causing chemicals, a byproduct of oil and gas drilling, keeps shooting out of the ground in Oklahoma. Experts say it means even more wastewater is spreading underground, poisoning the state’s water supply. With @readfrontier.bsky.social

New 🧪report on #ForeverChemicals #Phthalates Scientists have issued an urgent warning that some of the synthetic chemicals that help underpin the current food system are driving increased rates of cancer, neuro conditions and infertility = $$ health burdens www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Boost your science, health or environment reporting in 2026 — the SHERF Fellowship can help you do it. Applications are open now! Tell a colleague and apply today: healthjournalism.org/fellowships/...

When I first saw the photos Annie took during the inversion, I immediately thought of historical photos from pre-EPA days. But these were taken in 2025. The Trump EPA has halted rules meant to reduce pollution in this community and others. Here's what we found: www.propublica.org/article/epa-...

Judith Enck writes in TIME that plastic recycling was never designed to solve the pollution crisis, and the industry has known it: time.com/7337065/auto... Less than 6% of plastic waste in the US is recycled, while corporations continue to expand production and mislead the public with false claims.

"The EPA is prioritizing review of new chemicals to be used in data centers. Experts say this could lead to the fast approval of new types of forever chemicals—with limited oversight." Great piece by @mollytaft.com

Devastating

Another deep-dive from @washingtonpost.com on concerning chemicals in plastics #Phthalates #EverywhereChemicals Glad to see the 'Plastic Peril' series continue www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

"Produced water", brimming with salt + chemicals, rises with oil + gas, then gets shot back underground by injection wells. The contaminants it contains turn up in people's wells + on farmland. It's happening more often @grist.org explores why: grist.org/accountabili...

Fossil fuels are bad for the planet and health. Our new report shows how coal, oil & methane gas harm every system of the body at every stage of life. Learn more: psr.org/fuelingsickness

Please join Beyond Plastics Science Director @trishavv.bsky.social, @amizota.bsky.social of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, and Ryan Babadi of @toxicfreefuture.bsky.social on Nov. 12 for a free webinar about toxic chemicals in plastics. www.beyondplastics.org/events/toxic...

Classed as 'reprotoxic', EEA-NH4 is a type of PFAS that can harm sexual function, fertility + child development. In 2023, we exposed a plant in Lancashire releasing almost 800kg into the River Wyre - so why isn't the curent EA investigation testing for it? 🧵 1 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Where do Americans get their news? 86% say digital devices – such as a smartphone, computer or tablet – and 64% say TV. 📈📱📺

Welp, UGH 🫠🤮

In this episode, @anjakrieger.bsky.social celebrates the 40th International Coastal Cleanup Day and explores its history with Elsa Devienne, an assistant professor in US history at Northumbria University in the UK. It’s a huge event which has been taking place each 3rd Saturday of September.

It is always a good time to check your Bluesky settings for content and media and make sure videos and GIFs do not autoplay.

"The lesson from both studies is clear: If public health wants to compete with misinformation, it must stop treating social media as the enemy and start partnering with it as an ally." #SciComm hsph.harvard.edu/news/opinion...

For the last several months, I've been digging through endless scientific literature on what happens when pregnant mothers are exposed to plastic chemicals in their food, water, and everyday household products. The result is this story. I hope you'll take the time to read. wapo.st/4g3ZoFc

Bluesky now platform of choice for science community: An "overwhelming majority" of respondents said that Bluesky has a "vibrant and healthy online science community," while Twitter no longer does.

New study: oil & gas are major killers Oil & gas cause 91,000 air pollution deaths per year, 9,100 pre-term birth incidences/y, 216,000 asthma incidences/y, 1600 cancers/y in US 4,800 deaths/y from extracting & processing fuels 86,200 deaths/y from burning fuels www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

New study shows health damage in US from oil & gas emissions, 90,000 premature deaths nationally, with California, New York, and Texas suffering the most. @doreenharris.bsky.social www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

On Roundtable with Enda Brady discussing the collapse of the latest round of Plastics Treaty negotiations. The source materials for most plastics are oil + gas. Countries opposing a cap on plastic production were mostly oil producing nations. Coincidence? www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXoj...

For anyone concerned about the health of their nation and themselves, this @thelancet.com editorial outlines beautifully the damage that RFK Jr is inflicting on us. Share with your family and friends. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

My latest on the Health Sec who promised to figure out what causes autism and the autism research that's been stopped along the way www.propublica.org/article/rfk-...

This is the definition of a failed social media platform.

Our members, Drs. @leotrasande.bsky.social, @smbrander.bsky.social, and @jmuncke.bsky.social, attended INC5.2 to educate European delegates about the health effects of EDCs and how they interfere with the endocrine system. Learn about our EDCs: bit.ly/2LCRwAr #EDCs #PlasticsTreaty (1/4)

“We showed the link between the exposure and fertility,” she said. “And when you see that total sperm count going down worldwide, what I believe is you’re seeing an important effect of early exposure to these chemicals.” Dr. Shanna Swan www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a... @damiengayle.bsky.social

I had the distinct pleasure of presenting at the #SciComm workshop at the #ISESISEE2025 conference - providing media training and social media training along with co-organizers @rshaffer14.bsky.social @pallavipnt.bsky.social Drop your questions and comments on #SciCom below!

Such an important new study out of Denmark - acetaminophen can interfere with early embryonic development, increasing the risk of pregnancy loss 👇🧪

#Plastic treaty talks stalled again, but countries will keep fighting to regulate toxic #chemicals in plastic, with new evidence from @toxicsfree.bsky.social that it’s not just plastic workers who are highly exposed. It’s all of us. @insideclimatenews.org insideclimatenews.org/news/1608202...

Right before the next round of #plasticstreaty negotiations, we have got a new publication on #health & #plastics out in @thelancet.com. Health should be the centerpiece of the treaty. Watch the launch event at #INC5.2 here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDUi... www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

🧪 @transjournalists.org is offering a few dozen stipends of $250 or $500 to support journalists looking for a boost to attend conferences, trainings, workshops, and more. Applications will be accepted until 11:59pm PT on August 11. Find more info and apply below!

🧘‍♀️ Struggling to find a moment of calm amidst all the bad news this summer? MindLab offers practical, science-based techniques to help science supporters manage stress, regulate emotions & navigate uncertainty. Join us for free virtual sessions every Wednesday, 11:30 am ET. ➡️ act.ucsusa.org/45bB0wj

Science is the most international endeavor in human history. This flagrantly racist administration is destroying the U.S.'s lucrative and life-saving leadership. www.thetransmitter.org/policy/what-... on @thetransmitter.bsky.social

This is such an important piece on what is and can be lost on our current trajectory 🧪 #SaveScience

🧵 For our special issue on research, @chronicle.com dove into how the scientific enterprise has been buffeted by the Trump administration. As Jenny Ruark writes in her editor's note, "the speed of retrenchment is breathtaking." We wrote about how we got here, and what might be next. #AcademicSky

Environmentalists sue EPA to reassess a toxic chemical used at a Pa. oil refinery penncapital-star.com/energy-envir...

Mapping the chemical complexity of Plastics - now published in @nature.com! This we hope will be used as a launch pad to make plastics and materials more safer and circular!

I know that job situations have likely changed for many in climate research. If you are looking for a new opportunity, maybe consider our current opening for the Chief Editor at Nature Geoscience. www.nature.com/naturecareer...

How did we go from decades of broad political support for US science & scientists to unprecedented attacks on their autonomy and independence? And how can scientists build stronger community connections today? Science Network member Christopher Fisher explores these questions and more in this blog.

Plastic nurdles may sound harmless - but, when a spill of nurdles occurs, as in the X-Press Pearl disaster, or off the coast of East Yorkshire this year, these tiny pieces of plastic can absorb other pollutants, & are eaten by sea creatures who cannot digest them, as Dr Megson explains here:

Our new study shows that plastic packaging & other food contact articles are a source of micro- & nanoplastics in food. The data is accessible in a dashboard. ➡️ Read the publication: www.nature.com/articles/s41... ➡️ Access the dashboard: foodpackagingforum.org/mino www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5VI...

with the final round of UN plastic treaty negotiations in 4 weeks time, we've written a short piece that sets out the concept of a 'petrochemical historical bloc' to reveal the depth and extent of forces opposing strong global governance of plastic

“Make America Healthy Again” has a simple premise: Americans don’t need more access to medical care. They just need better nutrition and exposure to fewer environmental toxins. Unfortunately, Trump is A) taking away nutritional assistance and B) expanding use of environmental toxins.

Kudos to @theguardian.com for an EXCELLENT review of yesterday’s appropriations Kennedy hearing. I wanted to follow up with a few observations. A thread! www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...