Where do microplastics go once they sink into the ocean?
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 5-Apr-2026 16:15 ET (5-Apr-2026 20:15 GMT/UTC)
Researchers have developed a new method to more accurately analyze small microplastics in the ocean. They collected seawater from 12 ocean layers across 4 regions in the North Pacific Ocean to find that the concentrations of small microplastics ranged from 1,000 to 10,000 particles per cubic meter of seawater. Additionally, small microplastics enter the ocean by either reaching near-neutral buoyancy to drift at specific depths or rapidly sink to the seafloor.
A team of researchers has discovered that latent antimicrobial resistance is more widespread across the world than known resistance. They call for broader surveillance of resistance in wastewater, as the problematic genes of the future may be hiding in the widespread reservoir of latent resistance genes. The research has been published in Nature Communications.
Organoid research has rapidly advanced as a transformative platform for modeling development, disease, and regeneration, yet inconsistent reporting has hindered reproducibility and limited data integration across laboratories. The newly introduced Minimum Information about Organoid Research (MIOR) framework establishes a comprehensive, modular reporting system designed to address these challenges. MIOR defines clear requirements for project metadata, biological sources, organoid characterization, culture conditions, engineering strategies, and assay parameters. By distinguishing essential from recommended fields, the framework balances rigor with practical usability. MIOR aims to turn organoid datasets into reusable, comparable resources and strengthen the reliability and translational potential of organoid-based research.
The electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) serves as an effective approach to convert CO2 into high-value chemicals and facilitate carbon cycling. Among various products, ethylene (C2H4), a crucial industrial feedstock, demonstrates substantial market demand and economic significance. Copper (Cu)-based catalysts exhibit remarkable advantages in CO2RR to C2H4 conversion due to their unique electronic structure and optimal *CO adsorption capacity.
Concurrently, the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) design featuring an electrolyte-free cathode effectively addresses mass transfer limitations, minimizes ohmic losses, and enhances interfacial efficiency, thereby significantly boosting current density and product selectivity. The integration of Cu-based catalysts with MEA technology thus emerges as a highly promising solution for industrial-scale CO2RR to C2H4 production.An international research team led by RMIT University have created tiny particles, known as nanodots, made from a metallic compound that can kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells largely unharmed.
While this work is still at the cell-culture stage – it hasn’t been tested in animals or people – it points to a new strategy for designing cancer treatments that exploit cancer’s own weaknesses.