A recent #study revealed that #people ingest hundreds of thousands of microscopic #plastic particles when consuming a liter of bottled #water. The research, conducted by researchers at #Columbia and #Rutgers universities, highlights the prevalence of 'nanoplastics' — which measure less than one micrometer — in bottled water. The study, published on January 8, found nanoplastics to be more commonly found in bottled water than larger #microplastics, comprising approx 240,000 particles per liter on average. One of the study's authors, Columbia #chemistry professor Wei Min, expressed the view to the Washington Post that nanoplastics could also pose a greater threat to human #health than microplastics. For several years, #scientists have been investigating microplastics — pieces ranging from one micrometer to half a centimeter in length — but this study sheds new light on the extent to which nanoplastics could be hazardous. The study's findings offer a 'starting point' for examining the health impacts of these tiny pieces of plastic, according to Penn State Behrend professor Sherri Mason, who was not involved in the research. Mason emphasized the widespread presence of invisible plastics in the #environment, telling the Washington Post, 'We know at this point that our skin is constantly shedding. And this is what these plastic items are doing — they’re just constantly shedding.'

What if you could charge your #EV while driving it? Check out the U.S.’s first wireless charging road installed in #Detroit, #Michigan. 🤯 #tech #news

Here are #NowThis' Ins and Outs for #2024. What would you add to the list? 🌎🌍🌏 #earth #climate #news

#Sony didn't come to play during #CES2024 — or did it? 🎮 During the event, Sony Honda Mobility president and COO Izumi Kawanishi drove the #Afeela electric #car on stage with a #PlayStation DualSense controller. Now, before you ask if future Afeela owners will be able to do the same, the answer is no. According to Kawanishi, the #flex was just a #tech demo. The car has been a highlight of #CES for several years, so it's no surprise Sony wanted to up the ante. #WatchThis

Mukhtar Babayev, a former #oil and #gas executive, was announced as the president-in-waiting for #2024’s international #climate conference, #COP29. The conference is a follow-up to last year’s, which saw another president with an oil and gas background. COP29 is set to take place in Babayev’s home country of #Azerbaijan in November. Babayev has been Azerbaijan’s minister of Ecology and Natural Resources since 2018. Before working in politics, Babayev had a career with the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic. According to the Guardian, Babayev has worked to remediate the contaminated soils of his country in his current role. However, he also reportedly has voiced his continued support of developing Azerbaijan’s oil and gas industry, which accounted for 92.5% of the country’s export revenue last year.