That trait, which makes a coffee lid or a fishing float so useful, also turns plastic into a long-term guest in places it was never invited. Unrecovered fragments collect across ecosystems, and they ...

Researchers developed biodegradable materials that could replace the plastic micro-beads now used in beauty products. The materials could also be used to encapsulate nutrients for food fortification.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The manufacture and discard of traditional superabsorbent materials — typically made from synthetic polymers, primarily polyacrylate-based compounds — are affecting the planet.

Pollution affects human health and the environment in many ways. Air, water, and land pollution continue to damage ecosystems, with conventional materials—especially plastics—being a primary ...

Scientists at Rice University and University of Houston have developed an innovative, scalable approach to engineer bacterial cellulose into high-strength, multifunctional materials. Using a spinning ...

A partly decomposed shoe, covered in mussels, on a sunny pier. Algenesis submerged shoes made with its biodegradable polyurethane foam in the Pacific Ocean to demonstrate their decomposition. Credit: ...

The COVID-19 pandemic drove a huge demand for disposable face coverings, like face masks. 1 While an important tool against the spread of the virus, these are typically made of synthetic polymers like ...

A swarm of tiny, shape-changing, all-metal robots might someday deliver drugs and capture biopsy samples painlessly and then ...

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Microplastics are an environmental hazard found nearly everywhere on Earth, released by the breakdown of tires, clothing, and plastic packaging. Another significant source of ...

Pollution affects human health and the environment in many ways. Air, water, and land pollution continue to damage ecosystems, with conventional materials—especially plastics—being a primary ...