Microplastics hinder plant photosynthesis, study finds, threatening millions with starvation
(www.theguardian.com)
from IndustryStandard@lemmy.world to world@lemmy.world on 10 Mar 2025 20:02
https://lemmy.world/post/26634809
from IndustryStandard@lemmy.world to world@lemmy.world on 10 Mar 2025 20:02
https://lemmy.world/post/26634809
The pollution of the planet by microplastics is significantly cutting food supplies by damaging the ability of plants to photosynthesise, according to a new assessment.
The analysis estimates that between 4% and 14% of the world’s staple crops of wheat, rice and maize is being lost due to the pervasive particles. It could get even worse, the scientists said, as more microplastics pour into the environment.
About 700 million people were affected by hunger in 2022. The researchers estimated that microplastic pollution could increase the number at risk of starvation by another 400 million in the next two decades, calling that an “alarming scenario” for global food security.
#world
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Horrors beyond comprehension… yes… perfect.
<img alt="I’m used to it" src="https://ani.social/pictrs/image/9fcaca9c-674f-4ebf-9787-408e09105484.webp">
Fewer people makes for less plastic.
Problem is that the plastic is already around. In fact, less people will have to deal with more plastic than they’d ever been responsible for
Not for long.
Microplastics also lower testosterone and are a significant cause for male infertility.
Yo, Children of Men where all the dudes are shooting plastic pellets let’s go
doesnt it also mimic estrogen-like hormones, and promote certain cancers too.
Ha, that’s way worse than I would have expected the damage of micro plastics to cause.
Cancer? Psh. Male infertility? Psh. Those aren’t things that will threaten the species, unless all men go sterile.
But interfering with photosynthesis? That’s really bad
Who would have thought that releasing trillions and trillions of tiny toxic pollutants into the biosphere would have negative consequences.
I mean, probably some executive at shell or BP, but clearly executives have some kind of mental disorder that prevents them from anticipating anything further out than 3 months in the future.
I’d be dead by that time…
“study finds”
You mean that it wasn’t observable before? Yeah, I am gonna call it sensationalist nonsense