science

Air pollution, even at low levels, may heighten breast cancer risk

Even a small drop in NO2 pollution might mean 9,500 fewer U.S. breast cancer cases each year

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Women who live in areas with more air pollution may face a higher risk of developing breast cancer, according to a new, large-scale study of more than 400,000 women across the United States.

Are your baby’s clothes toxic? New study finds harmful chemicals in infant textiles

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A baby in a pink onesie

Infant clothing may expose babies to hundreds of different chemicals used in everything from plastics to pesticides — including some known to be toxic, a new scientific investigation shows.

Alcohol industry uses tobacco tactics to downplay deadly risks and block reforms, studies show

Recommendations include raising taxes, reducing marketing and availability, mandating independent warning labels, and excluding industry from health policymaking

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A man reaches out to get a bottle of liquor in a liquor store

Urgent action is needed to protect public health from alcohol industry influence and to curb alcohol-related disease and death, according to international researchers.  

Common male cancer linked to hormone-disrupting chemicals, scientists warn

Even low exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals could promote prostate cancer growth

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A doctor showing a graphic of a prostate to a patient

Chemicals found in everyday products—from plastics and pesticides to cosmetics and non-stick cookware — interfere with the body’s hormone systems in ways that may increase the risk and severity of prostate cancer, according to a new report.

Phthalates in everyday products may fuel breast cancer, new study warns

Research links chemicals in cosmetics, packaging, and plastics to tumor growth and reduced treatment success

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A woman spraying herself with a personal care product

Common chemicals in plastics, personal care products, and food packaging may drive the onset, growth, and spread of breast cancer—the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in women, new research suggests.

Pollution, toxic chemicals, and plastics drive millions of heart-related deaths, major review finds

Global analysis shows the “profound impact” of pollution and other environmental hazards on cardiovascular health

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Close up photo of a man feeling a sharp pain in his chest

Cardiovascular disease—the world’s leading cause of death—is increasingly driven by polluted air, toxic chemicals, plastics, noise, and extreme temperatures, according to a sweeping new review…

Plastics pose ‘urgent threat’ to children’s lifelong health, major review warns

Scientists say chemicals in everything from food packaging to bath products cause lasting health damage and call for urgent global action

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A young girl drinks water from a plastic water bottle

A sweeping new review warns that chemicals in common plastics pose serious and lasting health risks to children, from before birth through adulthood.

‘No safe level’: Babies are harmed by even tiny amounts of nitrate in drinking water, study finds

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a pregnant woman with a glass of drinking water

Even very low levels of nitrate in drinking water—far below the federal government’s safety threshold—may significantly increase the risk of premature birth and low birth weight, according to a new study.

Vaping triples the risk of cigarette smoking in young people, a major review shows

Young people who use e-cigarettes are also much more likely to use marijuana, alcohol, and experience respiratory problems, especially asthma

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a boy vaping, the lower part of his face obscured by smoke

Children, adolescents, and young adults who vape are about three times more likely to start smoking cigarettes than non-users, according to the most comprehensive study yet on the wider risks of e-cigarette use in young people.

Banned pesticides found in clouds, sparking new health concerns

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A little girl in the rain

Pesticides banned years ago in the European Union are drifting through the skies and turning up in clouds above France, raising concerns about how long these toxins persist and how far they can travel, with potentially harmful global health impacts, according to a pathbreaking new study.

Aspartame sweetener may disrupt blood vessels, raising stroke risk, first-of-its-kind study suggests

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Someone pouring a glass of Diet Coke

Aspartame—the artificial sweetener found in everything from Diet Coke and sugar-free chewing gum to children’s medications—may raise the risk of the most common type of stroke by causing inflammation and disrupting blood vessel health and blood flow, according to new research.

Glyphosate poses widespread risks to female fertility and reproductive health: new research

Uterine damage, genetic changes, hormone disruption are among the health effects found in scientific studies

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Glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide, disrupts female hormones and damages the ovaries and uterus in ways that can make it more difficult for women to get pregnant, according to a new review of human and animal research. 

Social media is fueling the childhood obesity crisis, global study warns

New review reveals pervasive, often covert, ultra-processed food marketing to children online

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In an era when digital devices increasingly dominate young people’s lives, the social media industry is promoting unhealthy food consumption and behavior and contributing to the global childhood obesity epidemic, according to an international report.

Blocking mobile phone internet for two weeks may boost mood, mental health, and attention

A new study finds it could ease anxiety and depression and reverse years of attention decline, with lasting results

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A man in some trees, looking at a phone with a picture of the trees.

New research finds that blocking the internet from your phone for two weeks could ease anxiety and depression and reverse years of attention decline, with lasting results.

Tiny titanium dioxide particles in food raise blood sugar, disrupt gut hormones in mice, study finds

New research highlights potential health risks of a common food color additive banned in Europe, found in candies and ultra-processed snacks

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A hand picking up brightly colored candies out of a bowl

The tiniest particles of titanium dioxide—commonly used to make ultra-processed foods look more visually appealing—can raise blood sugar levels and impair how the body processes glucose, among other health harms, according to new research in mice. 

Unhealthy food makers target youth with pervasive ads that fuel long-term health risks, decades of research shows

Stronger regulation needed to curb junk food industry’s marketing to adolescents and young adults

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children lying on a bed, using their phones and eating junk food

Unhealthy food and beverage companies powerfully undermine the eating habits of young people by deploying ubiquitous ads that encourage poor dietary choices and increase the risk of serious disease and premature death, according to a sweeping new study.

Common weedkiller glyphosate may be linked to liver disease epidemic, study warns 

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A liver stands out brightly in a person's chest

Glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide, may significantly raise the risk of an increasingly common chronic liver disease—even at low exposure levels, according to a new review of more than 40 scientific studies published over the past 17 years.

The PR campaign spinning Tyson’s brazen “climate-smart” beef claims

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A herd of cattle in a feedlot

Producing meat is one of the biggest sources of climate warming gases, and beef is the worst of the bunch, data shows. To clean up their image, leading meat producers including Tyson, one of the largest meat companies in the United States, have hired public relations and advertising firms, mirroring a strategy used by fossil fuel companies. 

Everyday chemicals linked to cognitive decline in older adults, especially men, new study reports

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An older man staring at his computer

Older adults exposed to a mix of chemicals found in everyday products—such as food packaging, cosmetics, and printed receipts—may face a higher risk of memory loss and cognitive decline, according to a study published in April in the Journal of Affective Disorders. 

Plastics may disrupt the body’s clock, raise risk of chronic disease, study finds

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Chemicals found in common food packaging plastics like cling film and snack pouches may interfere with the body’s natural 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, increasing the risk of sleep disorders, diabetes, immune problems, and even cancer, new research shows. 

Breathing injustice: How a new scientific tool could help communities oppose industrial animal farming pollution

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Residents of a North Carolina community – where the haze of pollution coats the inside and outside of residents’ homes with potentially harmful bacteria from nearby industrial animal farms – are working with researchers at Johns Hopkins University to test a technique that can measure pig manure in the dust.

Air pollution may weaken children’s brain connections, study shows

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Children exposed to higher levels of air pollution in their homes from birth to age three may develop weaker connections between key brain regions, with potentially long-lasting effects on future learning, behavior, and health, according to a major new study.

Most U.S. infant formulas contain mainly added sugars, posing a serious risk to babies’ health

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Most infant formulas in the U.S. contain added sugars that can harm early development, new research shows. Babies may come upwards of 60 grams of added sugars — the equivalent of two soft drinks per day — if they are entirely formula-fed.

PFAS in drinking water linked to increased cancer risk, groundbreaking study finds

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Exposure to “forever chemicals” in drinking water is significantly associated with the increased risk of multiple cancers, including some not previously linked to these toxic compounds, a first-of-its-kind study shows.

Menthol cigarettes linked to higher death risk, especially for Black smokers

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Menthol cigarette smokers had a higher risk of dying from any health cause, including heart disease, compared to former non-menthol cigarette smokers, according to what researchers say is the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind.

Agricultural pesticide exposure linked to childhood cancers, study says

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High exposure to multiple pesticides may cause childhood and adolescent cancers, especially brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Common herbicide glyphosate significantly harms infants’ health in rural areas, new research suggests

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Glyphosate, a synthetic herbicide best known as the active ingredient in Roundup®, has significantly harmed the health of babies in rural U.S. communities over the last two decades—especially those already at risk of poor birth outcomes, new research shows.

Even low levels of traffic air pollution can damage the liver, new study shows

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Long-term exposure to even small amounts of air pollution from vehicles promotes abnormal changes in the liver—potentially increasing the risk of fatty liver disease, according to new research in mice. Mice exposed to fine particulate matter (PM2.5, or tiny pollutant particles of 2.5 micrometers or less)  for 12 weeks showed inflammation in the liver, more Even low levels of traffic air pollution can damage the liver, new study shows

‘Forever chemicals’ (PFAS) may weaken immune function in children, leading to more frequent infections 

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Drinking water contaminated by human-made “forever chemicals” appears to impair children’s immunity, potentially increasing the risk of common childhood infections, new research shows.

Bayer Internal Emails Says Seeks to “Regain Public Trust” Amid Monsanto Mess

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With legal and shareholder pressure mounting, Bayer AG on Thursday was preparing to launch an initiative to “regain public trust” after its acquisition last year of Monsanto Co. brought Bayer thousands of lawsuits filed by cancer victims and damning revelations of corporate deception surrounding years of health concerns about Monsanto’s glyphosate-based Roundup herbicides. The plan Bayer Internal Emails Says Seeks to “Regain Public Trust” Amid Monsanto Mess

Monsanto scientist tells jurors company’s side of Roundup cancer controversy

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A senior scientist at the former Monsanto Co. on Tuesday told jurors in a California trial that regulators around the world support the company’s position that its glyphosate-based herbicides, such as the popular Roundup brand, are safe for users. Donna Farmer, who worked as a toxicologist at Monsanto for more than two decades and now Monsanto scientist tells jurors company’s side of Roundup cancer controversy

The Monsanto Papers – Deadly Secrets, Corporate Corruption, and One Man’s Search for Justice

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USRTK Research Director Carey Gillam’s new book is out now and garnering glowing reviews. Here is a brief description of the book from publisher Island Press: Lee Johnson was a man with simple dreams. All he wanted was a steady job and a nice home for his wife and children, something better than the hard The Monsanto Papers – Deadly Secrets, Corporate Corruption, and One Man’s Search for Justice

“Environmental catastrophe” in Nebraska tied to pesticide-contaminating plant; See regulatory docs on AltEn neonicotinoid problems

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(Updated June 10 with state regulatory announcement about seed company clean-up efforts.) An “environmental catastrophe” unfolding in Nebraska is drawing scrutiny from around the United States and sparking questions about why regulators were unwilling or unable to rein in years of questionable activities by the company known as AltEn LLC. AltEn has been operating an “Environmental catastrophe” in Nebraska tied to pesticide-contaminating plant; See regulatory docs on AltEn neonicotinoid problems

EPA removes name of U.S. official from warning of glyphosate cancer links

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(Update with EPA explanation) In an unusual move, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has deleted the name of a high-ranking U.S. health official from a public comment that warned of cancer links to the weed killing chemical glyphosate and called for a halt to industry manipulation of research. The public comment in question was submitted EPA removes name of U.S. official from warning of glyphosate cancer links

Speculation Over Settlement as Roundup Cancer Trial Postponed

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The mysterious delay of what was supposed to be a closely watched St. Louis showdown over claims that Monsanto’s Roundup herbicides cause cancer has stirred speculation that a settlement may be in the offing and heartened investors in Monsanto’s German owner Bayer, who feared a fourth trial loss. The trial in St. Louis, Monsanto’s former Speculation Over Settlement as Roundup Cancer Trial Postponed

Court frowns on Bayer’s proposed Roundup class-action settlement

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A federal judge on Monday had harsh words for Bayer AG’s plan to delay potential future Roundup cancer lawsuits and block jury trials, criticizing the highly unusual proposal crafted by Bayer and a small group of plaintiffs’ attorneys as potentially unconstitutional. The “Court is skeptical of the propriety and fairness of the proposed settlement, and Court frowns on Bayer’s proposed Roundup class-action settlement

EPA’s “scientific integrity” program lacks teeth, group alleges

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Insiders at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have alleged dozens of violations of the agency’s “scientific integrity ” policy over the last few years, including complaints of political interference and tampering with chemical risk assessments, but nearly all the complaints have been ignored, according to an analysis conducted by a nonprofit group representing EPA employees. EPA’s “scientific integrity” program lacks teeth, group alleges

Exposure to particulate air pollution, even at low levels, can reduce children’s cognitive abilities

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Increased exposure to outdoor air pollution in early life can make it harder for children to learn and process information, especially in terms of critical thinking and non-verbal tasks, a new study reports.

Ultra-processed foods can speed up biological aging, new study shows

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Ultra-processed foods can accelerate aging and the decline of your body’s health, even if you generally eat healthy foods, say Italian researchers in a new report based on the largest population study of its kind in Europe.

Meet the Merchants of Poison: Front groups Bayer uses to defend glyphosate

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Monsanto and Bayer’s PR helpers are an industry unto themselves.

Governments must act to protect women, girls from toxic chemicals, UN expert warns

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Exposure to dangerous chemicals disproportionately impacts the health of women and girls worldwide, creating a human rights crisis that demands government intervention, says a United Nations report.

End tobacco smoking quickly for longer lives, fewer early deaths, study shows

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Faster progress towards ending tobacco smoking over the next three decades could extend lives and prevent millions of premature deaths worldwide, making it one of the single most critical health interventions, a new study shows.  

Microplastic in ‘leave-on’ cosmetic and personal care products is understudied, research ‘urgently required,’ experts say

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Two new studies underscore the urgency of research on microplastic, reporting that potential health and environmental risks from “leave-on” cosmetic and personal care products are largely ignored by researchers and regulators. 

U.S. officials: Criticism of Chinese lab ‘called out actions that we ourselves are doing’

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American officials worried that calling out the Wuhan Institute of Virology would “demand access that we ourselves would never provide.”

Neonicotinoids: a growing concern

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On January 10, 2021 The Guardian published this story about a small rural Nebraska community that has been struggling for at least two years with contamination tied to neonicotinoid-coated corn seed. The source is an area ethanol plant that has been marketing itself as a free “recycling” location for seed companies such as Bayer, Syngenta Neonicotinoids: a growing concern

Challenge eyed to class action plan for Bayer Roundup settlement

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A plan to delay any new Roundup cancer claims for years and shift the key question of whether or not the weed killer causes cancer from a jury to a hand-picked panel of scientists faces potential opposition from some of the plaintiffs’ attorneys who initiated and led the mass tort claims against Roundup maker Monsanto, Challenge eyed to class action plan for Bayer Roundup settlement

Another St. Louis Roundup Cancer Trial Officially Postponed Until 2020

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A trial set to start next week over claims that Monsanto’s Roundup weed killers cause cancer has been postponed until at least next year, according to a judge’s ruling on Friday. The trial would have been the first of its kind to take place in the St. Louis area, Monsanto’s hometown before the company sold Another St. Louis Roundup Cancer Trial Officially Postponed Until 2020

New weed killer studies raise concern for reproductive health

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As Bayer AG seeks to discount concerns that Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicides cause cancer, several new studies are raising questions about the chemical’s potential impact on reproductive health. An assortment of animal studies released this summer indicate that glyphosate exposures impact reproductive organs and could threaten fertility, adding fresh evidence that the weed killing agent might New weed killer studies raise concern for reproductive health

New study finds glyphosate-related alterations in gut microbiome

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A new animal study by a group of European researchers has found that low levels of the weed killing chemical glyphosate and the glyphosate-based Roundup product can alter the composition of the gut microbiome in ways that may be linked to adverse health outcomes. The paper, published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is New study finds glyphosate-related alterations in gut microbiome

U.S. judge sets trial in litigation against Syngenta alleging weed killer causes Parkinson’s disease

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A federal judge appointed to coordinate proceedings for claims that Syngenta AG’s paraquat weed killers cause Parkinson’s disease said Wednesday she was setting a jury trial date for Nov. 15, 2022. U.S. Judge Nancy Rosenstengel of the Southern District of Illinois issued the order in an initial hearing with lawyers from multiple firms who are U.S. judge sets trial in litigation against Syngenta alleging weed killer causes Parkinson’s disease