Flushing contact lenses down the toilet
could be contributing to the growing problem
of microplastic pollution in the world’s
oceans, say researchers at Arizona State
University. They estimate that up to 10
tonnes of plastic lenses make it into
wastewater annually in the US alone. Once
in the water, the lenses break down to form
microplastics that can end up being
consumed by marine animals.
PLASTICS
Camu camu berries from the Amazon could
help weight loss, a study at Canada’s Laval
University has found. Mice fed on a
high-sugar, high-fat diet gained 50% less
weight when given the berries. Mice eating
the berries experienced a boost in the
amount of the bacteria Akkermansia
muciniphila in their guts, and transplanting
this into the guts of other mice produced a
similar slimming effect. The team now plans
to investigate camu camu’s effects in
humans.
OBESITY
AIR POLLUTION
Breathe easy?
Air pollution can shorten human life by more than a year, a study
at the University of Texas has found. The team used health data
from 185 countries, taken from the Global Burden of Disease
Study, to estimate the effect of exposure to particulate matter
smaller than 2.5 microns. These fine particles can enter deep into
the lungs and increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes,
respiratory diseases and cancer.Dumbing down
As well as negatively affecting our health, it seems air pollution
could also be making us less intelligent. Researchers at Peking
University have found that those exposed to higher levels of air
pollution performed substantially worse in verbal and numerical
tests than those living in areas with cleaner air. Though there is a
clear correlation between the two phenomena, the study doesn’t
prove that there is a definitive causal link between them.ENVIRONMENT