Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Scientists Tracking the Microplastic Pollution Just Realized They Were Measuring Their Own Lab Gloves
zmescience ^ | 04 03 2026 | Tudor Tarita

Posted on 04/05/2026 9:56:24 PM PDT by yesthatjallen

We should not underestimate the prevalence of microplastics. They are everywhere—in our rivers, our lungs, and even in our blood. But researchers tracking this global pollution crisis may have inadvertently contaminated their research samples. The protective lab gloves they wear are shedding microplastic-like particles that tamper with their numbers.

The culprit, according to a University of Michigan study, is a soap-like residue used to pop disposable gloves out of factory molds. Even a light, dry touch sheds thousands of these false-positive particles onto lab equipment. Because this residue can produce a very similar vibrational signature to common plastics under a lab laser, scientists have been accidentally counting microplastics from their own lab gear as environmental pollution.

This hidden cross-contamination suggests that years of data on microplastics may now need a massive recount.

SNIP

(Excerpt) Read more at zmescience.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: chat; chatforum; contamination; gloves; godsgravesglyphs; michigan; microplastic; microplastics; oops; pollution; uofmichigan; whoops

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

1 posted on 04/05/2026 9:56:25 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: yesthatjallen

Whoops!


2 posted on 04/05/2026 9:58:35 PM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

3 posted on 04/05/2026 10:04:20 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (TDS -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: yesthatjallen

Some day a micro organism is going to evolve to the point where it can eat plastic. Imagine the Chaos that will lead to!


4 posted on 04/05/2026 10:10:22 PM PDT by Nateman (Democrats did not strive for fraud friendly voting merely to continue honest elections.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yesthatjallen

>> We should not underestimate the prevalence of microplastics. They are everywhere—in our rivers, our lungs, and even in our blood.

ROFL! But it’s A-OK to OVERESTIMATE their prevalence, because “the desired narrative” and We Are The (Flawed) SCIENCE! LMAO

Anthony Fauci, pick up Line 1...


5 posted on 04/05/2026 10:11:45 PM PDT by Nervous Tick (Hope, as a righteous product of properly aligned Faith, IS in fact a strategy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yesthatjallen

What a bunch of dumba$$es!
LOL!
As bad as the global warming crowd…..


6 posted on 04/05/2026 10:18:01 PM PDT by doc maverick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nervous Tick

7 posted on 04/05/2026 10:19:28 PM PDT by Frank Drebin (And don't ever let me catch you guys in America!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: yesthatjallen

8 posted on 04/05/2026 10:21:42 PM PDT by TigersEye (The RINOs are helping the Democrats wage a color revolution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: doc maverick

“What a bunch of dumba$$es!”


I’m not so sure. They may have known exactly what they were doing.


9 posted on 04/05/2026 10:22:42 PM PDT by Ken H (Freeper #240 - Dec 05, 1997)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: yesthatjallen

This why we should ignore knee jerk reactions!
Unless you have a gun stuck in your face
study the problem, before you panic.


10 posted on 04/05/2026 10:28:16 PM PDT by rellic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Frank Drebin; TigersEye

The title of the ZMEScience article is a keeper!

The site looks interesting too. Here’s another title:

“Drawing googly eyes on food could save it from seagulls”

Gotta go, there was an ad for a Free Autism Test and I’m gonna take it! Betcha I pass. Hmmm... does passing mean I have it, or does it mean I don’t have it??!? :-)


11 posted on 04/05/2026 10:29:09 PM PDT by Nervous Tick (Hope, as a righteous product of properly aligned Faith, IS in fact a strategy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: yesthatjallen

Their counting is bad, but their ‘science’ to scare the shit out off the populace about micro-nano-whatever-plastics is much worse.


12 posted on 04/05/2026 10:30:34 PM PDT by miniTAX
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rellic

>> study the problem, before you panic

But “when you’re up to your azz in alligators, it’s hard to remember that your original objective was to drain the swamp.”

Right?


13 posted on 04/05/2026 10:30:39 PM PDT by Nervous Tick (Hope, as a righteous product of properly aligned Faith, IS in fact a strategy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: yesthatjallen

Climate nutsos were measuring their own breath?? Wanna bet?


14 posted on 04/05/2026 10:31:04 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nervous Tick

I think it means you’ll be eligible for a free experimental Autism “vaccine.”


15 posted on 04/05/2026 10:32:36 PM PDT by TigersEye (The RINOs are helping the Democrats wage a color revolution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Nateman

‘Some day a micro organism is going to evolve to the point where it can eat plastic. Imagine the Chaos that will lead to!”


There are ALREADY plenty of plastic eating microbes and fungi. But you are right, Chaos ensues ;)


16 posted on 04/05/2026 10:38:06 PM PDT by miniTAX
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: TigersEye

>> free experimental Autism “vaccine.”

Okay, sure! What could go wrong??!?


17 posted on 04/05/2026 10:38:11 PM PDT by Nervous Tick (Hope, as a righteous product of properly aligned Faith, IS in fact a strategy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: yesthatjallen; All

Back to this gem from early in the corona pandemic.

CDC test for covid failed due to ... contaminated lab chemicals.

https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/03/05/905484/why-the-cdc-botched-its-coronavirus-testing/


18 posted on 04/05/2026 10:41:18 PM PDT by Reverend Wright ( Anschluss now !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nervous Tick

Yes!
That is where self discipline comes in.


19 posted on 04/05/2026 10:42:50 PM PDT by rellic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Ken H

You could be right!
The global warming crowd knows exactly how they cooked their books and fired any researchers who’s data didn’t match theirs.


20 posted on 04/05/2026 11:08:27 PM PDT by doc maverick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson