Pollution

A large airtanker plane drops a vivid red cloud of fire retardant over a smoky, burning hillside in Chelan, Washington. The wildfire, part of the Chelan Complex fire, creeps dangerously close to residential homes nestled at the base of the hills. Thick smoke drifts across the landscape, partially obscuring the scorched terrain. The scene captures the intense effort to protect the community from the advancing flames.

Burned to Earth

Wildfire retardants have been found to contain toxic metals, impacting soil and water.

A polluted section of the Huron River shoreline in Michigan, where foamy, discoloured water swirls around fallen tree trunks and debris. A slick, pale layer of contamination floats on the water's surface, contrasting with the dark, reflective river. Green leaves sprout from the foreground, juxtaposing natural growth with visible pollution.

Leavings

PFAS are persistent chemical pollutants, but bacteria can help degrade them over time.

A vast, turbulent expanse of the Southern Ocean, with deep blue waves crested by white foam, under a grey, misty sky that blends with the horizon.

Tangled Currents

Microplastics are endangering the Southern Ocean’s ecosystem.

A traffic jam in Mumbai. There are lots of cars and pollution.

Shrouds of Ash

India’s air pollution causes millions of deaths, highlighting the need for stricter regulations and interventions.

A street lit by artificial light with people stood looking lost.

Lost in the Night Light

Nighttime light exposure has been linked to increased Alzheimer’s disease risk, especially in younger people.

Wasted Mussels

Radium from oil wastewater contaminates rivers and freshwater mussels, highlighting the need for stricter environmental controls.

Plastic Flesh

Microplastics have been found to carry toxins that can penetrate our skin and enter our bloodstream, a concerning route of exposure impacting health.

Shadows in the Glass

Drinking water has been shown to contain hidden, persistent chemicals called 2,6-DHNPs, posing severe health risks even at low levels.

Nuclear Transmutations

Scientists have developed a new technique to make nuclear waste safer by transforming it into stable elements, inspired by neutron star observations, promising advancements in clean energy and waste management.

Changing Matter

The composition of tiny airborne particles, called particulate matter, causes various changes in lung cells, impacting both their behaviour at a molecular level and their appearance.