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Were exposed to microplastics in myriad ways: Those tiny, degraded bits of plastic are in our soil, our water, even in our air. They then get into our bodies, lodging themselves in our organsincluding our brains. An adult human brain can contain about a spoons worth of microplastics and nanoplastics, recent research foundnot a spoonful, but the same weight as a disposable plastic spoon. That amount was higherby seven to 30 timesthan the amount of microplastics found in other organs, such as livers or kidneys. The concentrations were even higher (by three to five times) in individuals diagnosed with dementia. And even more concerning, experts say, is how these levels have increased over time: Between 2016 and 2024, the concentration of microplastics in human brains increased by about 50%. Those findings came from a study by University of New Mexico researchers that was recently published in the journal Nature Medicine. A new commentary, published today in the journal Brain Medicine, builds on that research by looking at a few big questions that arise when we learn we have lots of microplastics in our brains: How can we limit our exposure, and is there any way to remove these microplastics? How to reduce microplastics exposure The microplastics found in human brains included nanoplasticsparticles smaller than 200 nanometers (a human hair, for contrast, is about 80,000 nanometers wide). They were also mostly made up of polyethylene, a commonly produced plastic used in everything from food packaging to drink bottles to plastic bags. That helps give an idea of what sorts of exposure could lead to these particles ending up in the brain, says Nicholas Fabiano from the University of Ottawa’s psychiatry department, and lead author of the commentary; Fabianos research focuses on the overlap between mental and physical health. Bottled water is a particular source of these kinds of microplastics. Switching from that to filtered tap water could reduce your intake of microplastics from 90,000 particles per year to 4,000. (Though its not clear, the commentary authors note, if that would translate to a measurable drop in the amount of microplastics accumulated in our body tissues.) Plastic tea bags have also been found to release millions of microplastic particles when brewed, so avoiding those could also limit exposure. There are also microplastics in ultra-processed foods like chicken nuggets. Storing and heating food in plastic containers can release lots of micro- and nanoplastics. Switching to glass or stainless steel might be safer, Fabiano says. Canned soup could also be a source of exposure, as cans are often lined with plastic. The authors also noted a 2011 study that found that after five days of eating canned soup, participants saw the levels of BPA (a chemical used to make plastic) in their urine increase more than 1,000%. (There has since been a decline in cans with BPA in the lining, but some new linings instead contain polystyrene.) Because microplastics are even in our airmore than 60,000 such particles are inhaled by male adults per year, previous research has foundthe authors also recommend using HEPA air filters. Can we remove microplastics that are already in our brain? The original study on microplastics in human brains had an interesting finding: There was no correlation between someones age and their microplastic levels. “That suggests peoples bodies are able to get rid of these microplastics in various different ways, Fabiano says. (If there were a correlation, there would be a cumulative effect: The older someone is, the more microplastics in their brain.) How exactly that happens, though, we still dont know. Is it through sweat? Is it through feces? Is it through urine? Fabiano says. Prior research has found BPA in peoples sweat, suggesting that induced sweating could potentially remove those particles, but more research needs to be done, he says. The commentary is a call for more research. For all the research identifying microplastics in the environment or in our bodies, theres little on the health impacts of this debris. And what exists on that front focuses mostly on physical health. If you have a spoons worth of plastic in your brain, surely there must be impact to your mental health, Fabiano notes. The original Nature Medicine article was a step in the right direction, he adds, for even looking at dementia patients and shedding light on the possible connection for diagnoses and microplastics. But it also raises more questions that researchers need to answernot just on the impacts, but also if scientists should establish microplastics-exposure limits, and how else we could reduce or remove the microplastics already inside us. Right now, the microplastic-and-health research is still in its early days, Fabiano says. But so far, what the research has shown is that it’s certainly not a good thing to have microplastics. The best thing for people to do in the meantime, he says, is to try to limit their exposure.
Category:
E-Commerce
Female streamers are being told to hire security after a spate of recent attacks. Popular Twitch stars Valkyrae, Cinna, and Emiru were out in public at the Santa Monica Pier on March 2 as part of their “sisathon” streaming marathon, when a man lunged toward them, saying, Ill kill you right now. The streamers called for help from security as the man chased them before the stream turned off. He had tracked their location using the live broadcast and earlier had gotten down on one knee, proposed to the three streamers, and asked one for her phone number, which she refused. Issuing an update later that evening on X, Cinna posted, Hey everyone we are safe. Unfortunately, we have to end the marathon and need time to process what happened as we shock at the moment. hey everyone we are safe.unfortunately we have end the marathon and need time to process what happened as we shock at the moment. Thank you for all the love and support on the marathon. We love you all.— cinna (@cinnabrit) March 3, 2025 Other streamers have rallied around the Twitch stars, advocating for increased safety measures, particularly for women in the industry. Popular streamer xChocoBars, who has advocated for more action to be taken against stalkers targeting streamers, posted on X: The police and security need to do more for women who get stalked. Im sick and tired of this law where they cant do anything until something HAPPENS. QTCinderella also shared details for the security firm she employs while streaming in public. There have been times where they have had to be with me 24/7. It could save your life, save their info, she posted on X. That same night, another popular streamer experienced a harrowing incident in her home. Amouranth, whose real name is Kaitlyn Siragusa, posted on social media that shed been robbed at gunpoint by thieves trying to steal her crypto funds. “I’m being too robbed at gunpoint. I believe I shot one of them. They wanted crypto is what they were yelling they pulled me out of bed,” Amouranth posted on her X account on March 2 at 11:55 p.m. The Kick streamer and adult content creator later explained why she posted to X instead of calling emergency services. “Was at gun point they gave me phone and said log in with gun to my head and I tweeted because calling would be a death sentence,” she wrote. The attack comes just months after Amouranth posted a screenshot of a Coinbase account showing in excess of $20 million in BTC and ETH, along with the message, “Do I sell or hold my BTC?” Private security firms, such as Fast Guard Service, have reported a recent surge in demand from influencers spanning various platforms. Creators are now experiencing a number of concerning side effects that come with online fame, including unwanted attention, harassment, and even physical threats. What used to be an occupational hazard reserved for Hollywood celebrities and high-profile politicians is now a growing reality for influencers and internet personalities.
Category:
E-Commerce
After more than eight decades in operation, craft retailer Joann is going out of business, closing all 800 of its stores and laying off 19,000 employees. The news comes after the retailers restructuring plans failed and a liquidator opted to purchase its assets. Joann is far from the only retailer in its death throes these days. Recent data shows that the number of retail-store closures is expected to double during 2025, to roughly 15,000 from the 7,300 or so in 2024. Accordingly, Joann is in a similar boat to companies such as Red Lobster, Big Lots, and Party City, which have each announced plans to either completely close up shop or enact big restructuring in recent months. And a commonality between many of them? Private equity firms are playing a large role. Private equity has been in the spotlight in recent years as it relates to many large-scale business restructurings and closings. For instance, restaurant chains Red Lobster and TGI Fridaysboth of which filed for bankruptcy last yearwere backed by private equity firms. Critics say that private equity, often simply referred to as PE, tends to come in and strip a company for parts and eventually kill it off rather than trying to make an honest attempt at turning the business around and making it profitable. While poor stewardship on the part of private equity can certainly contribute to a company’s downfall, experts say what happened with Joann appears to be more nuanced. “Private equity doesnt have a crystal ball” Joanns situation is somewhat unusual as it relates to its current situation. Back when it was known as Jo-Ann Stores, the company was acquired by PE firm Leonard Green & Partners in 2011 for roughly $1.6 billion as part of a leveraged buyout, taking the company private. The deal effectively put Joann and its resources up as collateral, and after some rebranding and leadership changes, the retailer went public again in early 2021, during a stretch when it was getting a jolt from pandemic-era growth in crafting and other such at-home activities. But the past few years havent been so kind, and Joann again faltered. It found itself in the lurch with two bankruptcies over the past year as its leadership was unable to successfully capture the brief momentum it had experienced in 2020 and 2021. It’s hard to ignore that Joann is a specialty retail company with a huge geographic footprint, large-format stores, and thousands of employees: exactly the kind of retailer that has found it increasingly difficult to thrive in the decades since e-commerce companies like Amazon have entered the fray. So while Joann did have PE backing, prevailing market conditions may be the firms ultimate undoing, experts point out. People forget the incredible role that market conditions play, says Donna Hitscherich, a senior lecturer in discipline, finance, and economics and director of the Private Equity Program at Columbia Business School. She says PE firms know how to operate businesses and are “singularly focused” on turning a profit. “Theres little or no incentive for PE to come in and have a business fail, as in the case of Joann,” Hitscherich says. “That wasnt their plan. Private equity doesnt have a crystal ball. Though Joann did receive a shot in the arm during the pandemic, when many people took up new hobbies and crowded into craft stores, the retailer has been trending downward for a while. If a private equity firm purchases a struggling retailer only to see that retailer go under, theyre just giving away money, Hitscherich says. Mixed incentives There are ways that PE firms do make money even if the company it purchased is circling the drain, however. Because of the laws and regulations that surround the PE industry, firms are often incentivized to extract money rather than to try and make a company succeed or survive, says Brendan Ballou, author of the book Plunder: Private Equitys Plan to Pillage America, and former special counsel with the U.S. Department of Justices antitrust division. The issue is that PE firms also take fees from businesses, like management fees or transaction fees, he says. In effect, PE firms may develop a sort of parasitic relationship with their portfolio companies, extracting money through fees even if its to the long-term detriment of the targets they acquire. This sometimes happens as part of a leveraged buyout, which may put target companies at a disadvantage, as they effectively receive a lifeline but go further into debt in order to secure it. Add in the fees on top of that, and companies that were already struggling to make money may find those struggles compounded. The investors in the PE firm certainly want the business to succeed, but thats not necessarily the case for the firm, Ballou says. As such, there are mixed incentives at play. While some PE firms may end up speeding up the death of a portfolio company, rather than helping to resurrect it, supporters of private equity maintain that it plays an important role in the economy. A report from EY, provided to Fast Company by the American Investment Council, a PE-focused advocacy organization, found that the PE sector directly employed 12 million people during 2022, and a vast majority (85%) of the companies that PE firms back are small businesses with fewer than 500 employees. So, while there is a role for private equity, there are also legitimate questions to be asked when a beloved company like Joann or Red Lobster hits the skids. For Ballou, it all comes back to the issue of crossed incentives: Failure for Joann doesnt necessarily mean failure for a PE firm.
Category:
E-Commerce
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