Scitke

Author: Mauro Lucas

  • Waymo Tests Robotaxis in Philly and NYC

    Waymo Tests Robotaxis in Philly and NYC

    Waymo launched “road trips” to Philly and NYC, signaling Northeast expansion plans. These trips don’t mean a commercial launch is imminent. As with past trips to cities like Houston and Orlando, Waymo sends human-driven cars with autonomous tech to map new areas. Later, they test the vehicles in autonomous mode—with safety drivers—gathering data to refine the AI system.
    Image Credits: Techcrunch

    Waymo launched “road trips” to Philly and NYC, signaling Northeast expansion plans. These trips don’t mean a commercial launch is imminent. As with past trips to cities like Houston and Orlando, Waymo sends human-driven cars with autonomous tech to map new areas. Later, they test the vehicles in autonomous mode—with safety drivers—gathering data to refine the AI system.

    Some road trips have led to service launches, like in Santa Monica in 2023, which later became part of Waymo’s commercial operations in Los Angeles.

    Waymo Targets Busy Philadelphia Neighborhoods for Testing

    In Philadelphia, Waymo plans to test in high-complexity areas like downtown and freeways. A spokesperson said residents will spot the cars across neighborhoods such as North Central, Eastwick, University City, and near the Delaware River, operating at all hours.

    In New York City, Waymo will manually operate its vehicles in Manhattan—from just north of Central Park down to The Battery—as well as parts of Downtown Brooklyn. It also plans to map areas in Jersey City and Hoboken, New Jersey.

    The company applied last month for a permit to test its autonomous vehicles in NYC with a safety driver but has yet to receive approval.

    This isn’t Waymo’s first presence in the city. It previously deployed a small fleet in late 2021 to map sections of Manhattan and New Jersey. More recently, the company conducted winter testing in Buffalo earlier this year.

    NYC Rules Slow Path to Driverless Robotaxi Launch

    Even if Waymo receives approval to test its autonomous vehicles in NYC with a safety driver onboard, commercial rollout remains a distant goal. Current city regulations prohibit driverless operations without a person in the front seat—something Waymo is actively pushing to change.

    Meanwhile, Waymo’s nationwide testing is supported by its existing commercial robotaxi services in Atlanta, Austin, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. The company also plans to expand to Miami later this year and Washington, D.C. in 2026.

    Read the original article on: Techcrunch

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  • New Molecule Boosts Efficiency and Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells

    New Molecule Boosts Efficiency and Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells

    A recent study published in Science highlights that incorporating a synthetic molecule can greatly enhance the energy efficiency and lifespan of perovskite solar cells. The molecule, named CPMAC, was developed through an international collaboration that involved researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
    Credit: Depositphotos

    A recent Science study shows that the synthetic molecule CPMAC, developed through an international collaboration with KAUST, significantly boosts the energy efficiency and lifespan of perovskite solar cells.

    CPMAC is an ionic salt derived from buckminsterfullerene (C60), a carbon-based material with 60 atoms. While C60 has helped achieve record energy efficiencies in perovskite solar cells, it also limits performance and long-term stability.. To address these issues, scientists explored alternative materials, leading to the creation of CPMAC.

    For over a decade, C60 has played a key role in the development of perovskite solar cells. However, weak interactions at the perovskite/C60 interface result in mechanical degradation, which compromises the long-term stability of the cells. “To address this, we created CPMAC, a C60-derived ionic salt, to greatly enhance the stability of perovskite solar cells,” said Professor Osman Bakr, Executive Faculty at KAUST CREST, who led the research.

    Enhanced Electronic Properties of Solar Cells with CPMAC

    The chemistry of CPMAC enhanced the electronic properties of the solar cells. Solar cells incorporating CPMAC exhibited a power conversion efficiency— a key measure of solar cell energy efficiency— that was 0.6% higher than those made with C60.

    To put this into perspective, if a typical power plant generates 1 gigawatt of power, a less than 1% increase could still provide electricity to 5,000 additional homes.

    “As we consider the scale of a typical power plant, even a small increase in efficiency, such as a fraction of a percentage point, can lead to a significant amount of additional electricity generated,” said Hongwei Zhu, a research scientist at KAUST and a contributor to the study.

    Moreover, CPMAC-based solar cells showed a reduction in power conversion efficiency that was only one-third of that seen in C60 solar cells when exposed to high temperatures and varying humidity for over 2,000 hours, a standard test for solar cell stability.

    Increased Performance Differences in Solar Cell Modules

    The distinction between the two types became more noticeable when assembled into modules of four solar cells— a simplified version of a solar panel, which typically contains 50 to 100 cells.

    “CPMAC reduces defects in the electron transfer layer of the solar cell by forming stronger ionic bonds with the perovskite, unlike C60, which forms weaker van der Waals bonds.”

    Read the original article on: Scitech Daily

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  • Experts Caution Vapers About the Risk of Developing the Irreversible Condition Popcorn Lung

    Experts Caution Vapers About the Risk of Developing the Irreversible Condition Popcorn Lung

    A U.S. teen reportedly developed the unusually named condition "popcorn lung" after secretly vaping for three years. Popcorn lung, medically termed bronchiolitis obliterans, is a rare yet severe and irreversible lung disease that harms the small airways, causing ongoing coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
    Credit: (AleksandrYu/Getty Images)

    A U.S. teen reportedly developed the unusually named condition “popcorn lung” after secretly vaping for three years.

    Popcorn lung, medically termed bronchiolitis obliterans, is a rare yet severe and irreversible lung disease that harms the small airways, causing ongoing coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and fatigue.

    The term “popcorn lung” originated in the early 2000s after several employees at a microwave popcorn factory developed lung issues from inhaling diacetyl—a chemical used to create popcorn’s buttery flavor.

    Diacetyl, also known as 2,3-butanedione, is a flavoring compound that turns harmful when inhaled in aerosol form. It leads to inflammation and scarring in the bronchioles—the lungs’ smallest airways—making breathing progressively harder.

    The outcome: irreversible, often debilitating lung damage.

    Although diacetyl is the most well-known cause, inhaling other harmful chemicals, such as volatile carbonyls like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, can also trigger popcorn lung—both of which researchers have found in e-cigarette vapors

    The most concerning aspect? There is no cure for popcorn lung. Once the lungs are damaged, doctors focus on managing symptoms by administering bronchodilators, prescribing steroids, and, in severe cases, performing a lung transplantation.

    Because of this, prevention – rather than treatment – is the most effective and only defense. However, for young vapers, prevention isn’t that simple.

    The vaping dilemma

    Vaping has become particularly popular among  teenagers and young adults, likely because of the wide variety of flavored vape products – ranging from bubblegum and cotton candy to mango ice. However, these sweet, fruity flavors come with a chemical price.

    E-liquids may have nicotine, but they also contain a mix of chemicals meant to attract users. While regulators approve many of these flavoring agents for food use, that doesn’t mean they’re safe to inhale.

    When you consume chemicals, your digestive system processes them, and the liver filters them before they enter the bloodstream, which helps reduce their potential harm.

    However, when people inhale chemicals, they bypass this filtration process altogether. They go directly into the lungs and then into the bloodstream, reaching vital organs like the heart and brain within seconds.

    That’s what made the initial popcorn factory incidents so tragic. Eating butter-flavored popcorn? Completely harmless. Inhaling the buttery chemical? Devastating.

    The chemical intricacy of vaping

    The situation with vaping is even more unclear. Experts estimate that manufacturers currently use more than 180 distinct flavoring agents in e-cigarette products.

    Credit: Os e-líquidos podem conter nicotina, mas também incluem um coquetel químico. (Gilmanshin/Canva)

    When heated, many of these chemicals decompose into new compounds, some of which have never been tested for safety when inhaled. This raises significant concerns.

    Although diacetyl has been removed from certain vape products, it can still be present in others. Additionally, its replacements—acetoin and 2,3-pentanedione—could be equally harmful.

    Even if diacetyl isn’t the only cause, repeated exposure to various chemicals and their byproducts could heighten the risk of popcorn lung and other respiratory issues.

    The American teenager who developed the disease tragically reflected this. Her story is similar to the 2019 Evali crisis (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury), which resulted in 68 deaths and more than 2,800 hospitalizations in the US.

    The outbreak was ultimately traced back to vitamin E acetate, a thickening agent used in some cannabis vape products. When heated, it releases a highly toxic gas known as ketene.

    Recent studies are sounding the alarm about the effects of vaping on the respiratory health of young people.

    A global study discovered that adolescents who vape experience notably more respiratory symptoms, even after accounting for their smoking habits. The type of flavors, nicotine salts, and frequency of use were all associated with these symptoms.

    Read the original article on: Sciencealert

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  • How U.S. policies are reshaping the semiconductor industry

    How U.S. policies are reshaping the semiconductor industry

    As tech tensions between the U.S. and China escalate, the semiconductor industry has emerged as a key battleground in this intense geopolitical conflict.
    Credit: DepositPhotos

    As tech tensions between the U.S. and China escalate, the semiconductor industry has emerged as a key battleground in this intense geopolitical conflict.

    Recent U.S. export restrictions have made Nvidia’s H20 chip unavailable to Chinese buyers, raising questions about the future of global chip design, innovation, and market access.

    Valeria Bertacco, a leading expert in computer architecture at the University of Michigan, discusses how U.S. policies are reshaping the semiconductor industry, impacting innovation, energy efficiency, and companies like Nvidia.

    U.S. Policy Toward China Poses Challenges for Semiconductor Industry

    The U.S. government’s stance on China is increasingly challenging for the global semiconductor industry, as seen in COVID-19 supply chain disruptions. Tech companies are working hard to comply with U.S. regulations while minimizing global customer base losses.

    Hardware restrictions in some markets target high-end chips, a small part of the AI market, while mid- and low-end, along with edge-AI hardware, remain available, serving key markets supported by U.S. companies.

    AI hardware requires better computational efficiency and energy availability, with trends suggesting AI could consume 21% of global energy by decade’s end.

    Limiting access to high-end hardware has driven efforts to improve AI efficiency, as seen in the resource-efficient DeepSeek LLM model.

    If sales in key markets fund tech R&D, companies may slash innovation budgets. U.S. government funding for AI research could help fill this gap.

    Another concern is global students accessing U.S. universities and tech jobs. America’s tech leadership has long relied on attracting and training top talent worldwide.

    Policy Disruptions Risk Stifling U.S. Innovation in Semiconductors and Software

    If policies disrupt this flow, U.S. innovation—especially in semiconductors and software—could suffer.

    “That’s a possibility. While it’s not a current concern, future policy restrictions could shift unpredictably. Any changes would likely happen gradually—and reversing them would take even longer.”

    The shortage may hurt in the short term but could spur innovation—leading to solutions that wouldn’t emerge if high-end AI chips were abundant.

    For instance, DeepSeek proved that top-tier LLMs can be trained with 10x less computing power than expected—a breakthrough that might not have happened without chip constraints.

    China’s Commitment to Semiconductor Self-Sufficiency

    The Chinese government possesses the resources to fund the growth of its semiconductor sector and bolster domestic innovation, aiming to establish itself as a global leader in the field. U.S. policy constraints could intensify China’s push in this direction by amplifying unmet demand in its market.

    The growth of semiconductor production in the U.S., driven by companies like TSMC, Intel, Micron, Samsung, and GlobalFoundries, strengthens the nation’s resilience against potential supply chain vulnerabilities. This progress stems from strategic investments under the CHIPS Act, which have been in motion since 2022.

    Read the original article on: TechXplore

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  • Tesla’s First-Quarter Sales Plunge in Europe

    Tesla’s First-Quarter Sales Plunge in Europe

    Credit: Pixabay

    Tesla’s sales continued to decline in March across several European markets, hit by both consumer boycotts over Elon Musk’s policies and an aging vehicle lineup.

    In France, Tesla sales dropped 36.8% compared to the previous year, according to the Automotive Platform (PFA), amid a slight downturn in the overall electric car market. Sweden saw an even steeper decline, with sales plunging 63.9% in March and 55.2% in the first quarter, Mobility Sweden reported. The Tesla Model Y, which led Sweden’s car sales in early 2024, has now fallen behind two Volvo models, the Volkswagen ID.7, and a Subaru. Denmark also recorded a 56% drop in first-quarter sales, according to Mobility Denmark.

    More data from Germany, Britain, and Italy is coming soon, but Tesla’s struggles in Europe are clear. In two months, its EU sales dropped nearly 50%, shrinking its market share to 1.1%.

    Backlash Intensifies: Protests and Vandalism Target Tesla Over Musk’s Political Ties

    Meanwhile, protests and vandalism targeting Tesla dealerships and charging stations have intensified. Demonstrators gathered outside Tesla retail locations in North America and Europe on Saturday, protesting Musk’s close ties with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

    Stephanie Valdez Streaty of Cox Automotive emphasized Musk’s influence, stating that his actions “undeniably impact the brand’s image and sales.” Environmental group Mighty Earth echoed this sentiment, acknowledging Tesla’s role in advancing electric vehicles but criticizing Musk for “sabotaging climate action” by weakening environmental regulations.

    Beyond political controversy, Tesla also faces increasing competition from European and Asian automakers, while its aging lineup struggles to keep pace with newer EV offerings.

    Read Original Article: TechXplore

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  • ‘City-Killer’ Asteroid Impact Remains Possible—Just Not on Earth

    ‘City-Killer’ Asteroid Impact Remains Possible—Just Not on Earth

    Image of 2024 YR4 obtained on 27 January 2025. (NASA/Magdalena Ridge 2.4m telescope/New Mexico Institute of Technology/Ryan)

    Asteroid 2024 YR4 is making headlines again, but there’s still no reason to panic—at least for Earth. The asteroid remains no threat to our planet, with collision odds stuck at a minuscule 0.001 percent. However, the Moon might not be as lucky.

    According to a study led by planetary astronomer Andrew Rivkin of Johns Hopkins University, 2024 YR4 has a small chance of striking the Moon when it passes near Earth in December 2032. “While an Earth impact has been ruled out for December 22, 2032,” the researchers noted, “the Moon still faces a non-zero probability of impact.”

    What does this mean? For now, scientists aren’t sure. Observations using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are scheduled for May 2025, which should refine impact predictions and assess any potential consequences for Earth.

    Discovery observations of 2024 YR4. (ATLAS)

    Asteroid 2024 YR4’s Initial Alarm: Early Impact Risk Dropped but Continued Monitoring Needed

    Discovered on December 27, 2024, the asteroid initially raised alarm due to its projected trajectory. Early calculations suggested a 3.1 percent chance of a 2032 Earth impact—low but significant. Further observations drastically lowered that risk, offering relief, but researchers continue monitoring the asteroid’s path as it orbits the Sun.

    As YR4 faded from view, scientists used JWST to measure its size and composition. The asteroid spans roughly 60 meters (197 feet), confirming it is large enough to cause serious damage if it ever threatened Earth. Spectral analysis also suggests a rocky composition, meaning an Earth impact could release between 2 and 30 megatons of TNT—comparable to the 15-megaton Tunguska event that flattened a Siberian forest in 1908.

    For now, Earth is safe, but YR4 remains under watch. Another observation window in 2026 will further refine its trajectory and composition. Until then, fingers crossed for good news—especially for the Moon.

    Read Original Article: Science Alert

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  • CERN Report Confirms Feasibility of 56-Mile Particle Collider

    CERN Report Confirms Feasibility of 56-Mile Particle Collider

    Future Circular Collider would triple the LHC’s size. 

    CERN confirmed no technical barriers to building the $17 billion Future Circular Collider (FCC). Director Fabiola Gianotti stressed its importance for Europe’s physics leadership amid rising competition from China. A feasibility study supports a 91-km (56-mile) tunnel under the French-Swiss border, over three times longer than the LHC, which confirmed the Higgs boson.

    With the LHC set to retire by 2041, CERN is planning ahead. Gianotti highlighted that “no technical showstopper” had been found. Catherine Biscarat of Toulouse University’s L2IT lab called the FCC “rich in possibilities,” essential for advancing research on the universe’s origins and the Higgs boson’s role.

    However, concerns remain. The FCC’s estimated $16.9 billion cost has drawn skepticism, particularly from Germany, CERN’s largest contributor. CERN spokesperson Arnaud Marsollier reassured that up to 80% of expenses could be covered by existing budgets.

    The record-sized collider would smash particles at energies that could reveal new physics.

    Locals and environmental groups have also voiced opposition. French dairy farmer Thierry Perrillat fears losing five hectares of his land, comparing the situation to “David and Goliath.” Environmental organizations criticize the project’s electricity consumption, climate impact, and scale.

    Local Concerns Grow Over FCC’s Impact on Land and Resources

    In Marcellaz, near a proposed surface site, activist Thierry Lemmel questioned whether the project justified such a large investment given its uncertain results. Some residents, like Kevin Mugnier, felt “stunned” after learning how the FCC could affect their property.

    Others see benefits. Ferney-Voltaire’s mayor, Daniel Raphoz, supports the project, citing job creation and the potential to use CERN’s excess energy for heating. He warned that if Europe does not proceed, China will, risking European scientific decline.

    Hundreds of feet underground, the FCC would straddle the French-Swiss border.

    CERN’s member states must decide by 2028 whether to fund the FCC, a project that could redefine the future of particle physics.

    Read Original Article: Science Alert

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  • New ‘Fire-and-Ice’ Phase of Matter Discovered in a Magnet

    New ‘Fire-and-Ice’ Phase of Matter Discovered in a Magnet

    Credit: Pixabay

    A newly discovered state of matter has emerged within a previously identified exotic phase in a magnetic compound.

    In 2016, physicists Weiguo Yin, Christopher Roth, and Alexei Tsvelik from Brookhaven National Laboratory identified a unique “half-fire, half-ice” spin-state phase in Sr₃CuIrO₆, a compound of strontium, copper, iridium, and oxygen. Now, they have uncovered its opposite—a “half-ice, half-fire” phase, where electrons in two distinct structures swap behaviors.

    At the core of this discovery is frustration, a concept describing how neighboring particles interact. A single change can trigger a cascading phase shift, reshaping the system. In the half-fire, half-ice phase, copper atom spins remain disordered, resembling flickering flames, while iridium spins stay frozen, strengthening their magnetic pull.

    Mathematically, shifting this formation seemed impossible. However, the researchers identified a key temperature-dependent transition that flips the state entirely. This reversibility is a breakthrough, unlocking Sr₃CuIrO₆’s potential for quantum computing and microelectronics.

    Unlocking Exotic States: A Path to Quantum Computing and Spintronics

    “Finding new states with exotic properties—and understanding how to control their transitions—are fundamental challenges in condensed matter physics and materials science,” Yin explains. “Solving these problems could advance technologies like quantum computing and spintronics.”

    Magnetic materials exist in different forms. In ferromagnets like iron, all particle spins align in the same direction. Ferrimagnets, like Sr₃CuIrO₆, contain two distinct spin states. The team’s 2024 research expands on their 2016 work, revealing that an external magnetic field can induce the half-fire, half-ice phase. In this state, copper spins become chaotic, while iridium spins align rigidly.

    While intriguing, this phase alone offered little practical use. Qubits, the building blocks of quantum computing, rely on electron spin states to represent binary values. More importantly, tunable qubits—ones whose spins can be controlled—are highly desirable.

    “Despite extensive research, we didn’t know how to utilize this state,” Tsvelik explains. “For over a century, the one-dimensional Ising model—a foundational mathematical model of ferromagnetism—was thought incapable of hosting a finite-temperature phase transition. We were missing key pieces of the puzzle.”

    A graph demonstrating the shift in the magnetic entropy field (h) with changing temperature (T). (Brookhaven National Laboratory)

    Unveiling the Hidden Twin: The Half-Ice, Half-Fire Phase Emerges

    The missing piece was a hidden twin state. Within a narrow temperature range, the researchers found that copper spins become ordered while iridium spins fall into disorder, creating the half-ice, half-fire phase.

    This discovery not only reveals a new class of hidden phases but also allows precise control over phase transitions, unlocking potential quantum applications. However, more work remains.

    “Next, we’ll explore this fire-ice phenomenon in systems with quantum spins and additional lattice, charge, and orbital degrees of freedom,” Yin says. “New possibilities are now wide open.”

    Read Original Article: Science Alert

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  • Companies And Researchers Clash Over Superhuman AI

    Companies And Researchers Clash Over Superhuman AI

    Three-quarters of respondents to a survey by the US-based Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence agreed that ‘scaling up’ LLMs was unlikely to produce artificial general intelligence.

    Hype around “strong” AI surpassing human intelligence is intensifying, fueled by leaders of major AI companies. However, many researchers argue these claims are more about marketing than reality.

    The idea that artificial general intelligence (AGI) will soon emerge from current machine-learning techniques sparks both utopian and apocalyptic predictions, from AI-driven abundance to human extinction.

    “Systems that point to AGI are coming into view,” OpenAI chief Sam Altman wrote in a recent blog post. Similarly, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei suggested AGI could arrive as early as 2026. These bold claims help justify the massive investments—totaling hundreds of billions of dollars—into computing hardware and energy infrastructure.

    Not everyone is convinced. Meta’s chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, dismissed the idea that simply scaling up large language models (LLMs) would lead to AGI. His skepticism aligns with the broader academic consensus. A survey by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) found that over three-quarters of respondents doubted that scaling current approaches would produce AGI.

    The ‘Genie Out of the Bottle’ Strategy

    Some researchers believe these AI companies use AGI warnings strategically—to capture attention and consolidate power. Kristian Kersting, an AI expert at Germany’s Technical University of Darmstadt, argues that companies hype AI’s risks to position themselves as indispensable.

    “They say, ‘This is so dangerous that only we can control it. In fact, even we are afraid, but since the genie is already out of the bottle, we’ll sacrifice ourselves to protect you.’ Meanwhile, this ensures everyone depends on them,” Kersting said.

    Skepticism isn’t universal. Influential figures like Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio have voiced concerns about powerful AI. Kersting likened the situation to Goethe’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, where a young magician loses control of an enchanted broom. Another popular analogy is the “paperclip maximizer” thought experiment, where an AI tasked with making paperclips relentlessly consumes all available matter—including humans—to achieve its goal.

    While some researchers understand these concerns, Kersting believes human intelligence is so complex and diverse that AGI remains a distant—if not impossible—goal. Instead, he sees more immediate dangers in existing AI systems, such as biased decision-making that impacts real-world interactions.

    A Divide Between Industry and Academia

    The gap between AI leaders and researchers may stem from self-selection. Sean Ó hÉigeartaigh, director of the AI: Futures and Responsibility program at Cambridge University, suggests that those who strongly believe in AI’s rapid advancement are more likely to work in industry, while skeptics remain in academia.

    Even if Altman and Amodei’s timelines are overly optimistic, Ó hÉigeartaigh argues that AGI’s potential impact demands serious preparation. “If it were anything else—a chance that aliens might arrive by 2030 or that another giant pandemic was coming—we’d dedicate time to planning for it,” he said.

    One challenge is communicating these concerns to policymakers and the public. Ó hÉigeartaigh notes that discussions of superintelligent AI often trigger skepticism, as they sound like science fiction. Yet, if AGI truly is on the horizon, ignoring the risks could be a costly mistake.

    Read Original Article: TechXplore

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  • Study Finds Chewing Gum Releases Hundreds of Microplastics in Your Mouth

    Study Finds Chewing Gum Releases Hundreds of Microplastics in Your Mouth

    (pixelshot/Canva)

    Chewing gum releases hundreds of plastic fragments into the mouth, researchers found, adding to concerns about microplastic exposure.

    A study analyzed saliva after chewing various gum brands, revealing each gram released around 100 microplastic fragments—some over 600. Frequent chewers could ingest up to 30,000 microplastics annually.

    However, lead researcher Sanjay Mohanty emphasized that chewing gum is a minor source compared to bottled water, which contains around 240,000 microplastics per liter.

    Synthetic and Natural Gum Both Contain Microplastics

    Most supermarket gum, known as synthetic gum, contains petroleum-based polymers to create its chewy texture. However, packaging does not explicitly list plastics as ingredients, instead labeling them as “gum-based.”

    “Nobody will tell you the exact ingredients,” Mohanty said.

    The researchers tested five brands of synthetic gum and five natural gum brands, which use plant-based polymers like tree sap. Surprisingly, microplastics were abundant in both types, Lowe told AFP.

    David Jones, a researcher at the UK’s University of Portsmouth who was not involved in the study, found it surprising that certain plastics not typically found in gum appeared in the samples. He suggested they might have come from contamination in the lab. However, he agreed that the study’s overall findings were expected.

    “People tend to be shocked when they learn that chewing gum contains the same materials found in car tires, plastic bags, and bottles,” Jones said.

    Minimal Health Risks, But Environmental Concerns Remain

    Oliver Jones, a chemistry professor at RMIT University in Australia, reassured that swallowing a small amount of microplastics is unlikely to cause harm, as they would likely pass through the body without impact. “I don’t think you have to stop chewing gum just yet,” he said.

    Lowe, however, pointed to another issue—plastic pollution. Discarded gum, especially when spat onto sidewalks, contributes to environmental waste.

    Meanwhile, the National Confectioners Association, which represents chewing gum manufacturers in the U.S., downplayed concerns, stating that “there is no cause for alarm” and that gum has been safely consumed for over a century. The organization also emphasized that all ingredients are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    Read Original Article: Science Alert

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