Plastic Not-So-Fantastic: How the Versatile Material Harms the Environment and Human Health
The chemical building blocks that make plastics so versatile are the same components that might harm people and the environment. Greener solutions, however, are becoming available
Car Exhaust Associated With Premature Births in Southern California
Mothers living near freeways and congested roads are more likely to give birth to premature babies and suffer from preeclampsia
Weed-Whacking Herbicide Proves Deadly to Human Cells
Used in gardens, farms, and parks around the world, the weed killer Roundup contains an ingredient that can suffocate human cells in a laboratory, researchers say
Clean Diesel Comes of Age
A new study shows that diesel trucks and buses are spewing far less soot and smog into the air than they did just a few years ago
Are Selenium Levels Linked to Diabetes?
A new study finds that diabetics had higher levels of selenium, a mineral found in U.S. soil but also some dietary supplements
Dangerous Mercury Spills Still Trouble Schoolchildren
Thousands of kids are still exposed to dangerous liquid mercury in schools and homes. Contamination can last years, and cleanups are costly
Should DDT Be Used to Combat Malaria?
DDT should be used "with caution" in combating malaria, a panel of scientists reported today
EPA's New Pesticide Testing Is Outdated
In its search for endocrine-disrupting chemicals, the agency should turn to new scientists, says an advocate
Sewage Plants May Be Creating "Super" Bacteria
Some bacteria at sewage treatment plants are becoming resistant to antibiotics and winding up in the environment
Valley Fever Blowing on a Hotter Wind
New weather conditions brought on by climate change may help spread a fungal disease endemic to the Southwest known as valley fever
Scientists Find 'Baffling' Link between Autism and Vinyl Flooring
Swedish children who live in homes with vinyl floors are more likely to have autism, according to a new study, but what's behind the link is unclear
Some Food Additives Mimic Human Hormones
New research reveals that some common food additives behave like estrogen in the body
Nanoparticles in Sunscreen Damage Microbes
New research shows that nanosize particles in sunscreen can kill microbes
Plastic Pollution May Change Cattle DNA
Cattle downwind from industrial facilities in Texas suffer genetic damage, according to new research
Schools Keep Bugs at Bay a Safer Way
A new EPA plan would cut school pesticide use by 70 percent or more, but some say children and teachers should be protected by mandates, not voluntary guidelines
New X-Ray Machines Could Kill Food Bacteria
Zapping nuts, spinach, lettuce and other foods with x-rays could kill more pathogens that cause nationwide disease outbreaks. Drawbacks remain, however.
Chromium in Drinking Water Causes Cancer
National Toxicology Program results "clearly" indicate that the heavy metal is carcinogenic
(Not So) Great Lakes Cleanup
Daunting cleanups of various toxic hot spots around the Great Lakes are bogging down
New Web Site Maps Endocrine Disruptors to Human Development
A new interactive database, including a timeline showing how human fetuses develop, displays scientific data about controversial chemicals in a graphic way