Every year when summer arrives, millions of families pack up to hit the sand and surf. But hidden beneath the fun could be a silent threat: dirty water. Tests show that over half of U. S. coastlines and Great Lakes beaches had unsafe bacteria levels at least once last year. That means when people di
Mining leaves behind soil packed with heavy metals like cadmium, lead, and copper. These metals stick around for years, hurting plants, animals, and even people who live nearby. One cleanup trick is to use special plants that suck up the metals. But this method has problems. The soil is often too ha
Scientists fed young freshwater turtles different amounts of DEHP—a chemical found in many plastics—for three months. They found that even small doses caused extra damage in the turtles’ blood cells. The higher the dose, the more the damage grew, especially in the cells’ DNA. Some turtles also grew
City living used to mean better hospitals and faster ambulances. Now it often means breathing air that quietly damages lungs over years. Poor air quality isn’t just annoying—it rearranges how infections spread inside our chests. Warm air holds more water, which helps viruses and bacteria travel far
Scientists tested how plastic pollution in cow dung affects a common beetle species known for cleaning up animal waste. They found that when cow manure contains tiny plastic pieces—even in small amounts—it can seriously harm beetle babies. The beetles’ larvae struggled to survive when exposed to hig
A new system has been set up to tell the difference between pollution that comes from a city and pollution that comes from farms or factories. The idea is to help people fix the river faster by knowing exactly where bad water is coming from. The project was tested on the Sile River in Treviso,
In cities, the air isn’t just made of oxygen and dust. It carries invisible bits of plastic—some so small they can travel deep into our lungs. These tiny plastic pieces, called inhalable microplastics, don’t just float around randomly. New research shows their numbers change throughout the day and d
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the Black Sea’s northwest coast has faced pollution it wasn’t ready for. Before the war, this area already dealt with natural shifts and years of human impact from farming and industry. Now, the fighting has added sudden bursts of harmful substances while making it hard
Algae act like the grass of underwater worlds, turning sunlight into food for fish and other creatures. But tiny amounts of metals in water can harm them. A new study looked at how different algae types react to these metals. Researchers found that diatoms—algae with silica shells—are easily damage
The Penobscot River runs through the heart of a nation that has watched it flow for millennia. Its banks have taught people how to fish, gather, and live in harmony with the land. In spring, the river awakens as ice melts and water rushes faster. The people call this time “People of the Dawn”
