Microplastics are those microscopic plastic particles smaller than 5 millimetres that have sneaked their way into pretty much everything around us. And when I say everything, I mean everything - including our bodies.
For years, scientists have been finding microplastics in various human organs - from our blood to our lungs. Last year, researchers found microplastics in human testicles. And they think this might be why sperm counts in men have been reducing globally.
And just when we thought our brains were last plastic-free, researchers dropped a new study last week.
Here are some findings that might keep you up at night:
- Your brain could be hosting 7 to 30 times more microplastics than your liver or kidneys
- People struggling with dementia showed 2 to 10 times higher microplastic levels in their brains compared to those without the condition
- Since 2016, we’ve seen almost a 50% jump in the amount of microplastics found in human brains
So now climate activists fighting plastic are most likely telling the truth when they say the only thing they have in their minds is plastic.