The geology of Brazil's volcanic Trindade Island has fascinated scientists for years, but the discovery of rocks made from plastic debris in this remote turtle refuge is sparking alarm.
Melted plastic has become intertwined with rocks on the island, located 1,140 km from the southeastern state of Espirito Santo, which researchers say is evidence of humans' growing influence over the earth's geological cycles.
"This is new and terrifying at the same time, because pollution has reached geology," said Fernanda Avelar Santos, a geologist at the Federal University of Parana. Santos and her team ran chemical tests to find out what kind of plastics are in the rocks called "plastiglomerates" because they are made of a mixture of sedimentary granules and other debris held together by plastic.
"We identified mainly comes from fishing nets, which is very common debris on Trinidade Island's beaches," Santos said. "The are dragged by the marine currents and accumulate on the beach. When the temperature rises, this plastic melts and becomes embedded with the beach's natural material."
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Stealthy Hyundai Creta N Line Night Edition For Brazil Is The Coolest Yet | CarscoopsThe sporty-looking variant of the SUV wears a black suit and matching 18-inch alloy wheels, getting rid of all of the chrome
Read more »
Brazil's Bolsonaro will be subpoenaed in jewelry scandal, says ministerBrazilian former President Jair Bolsonaro will be called to testify as part of an investigation into accusations he tried to illegally bring $3.2 million of jewelry into the country, Justice Minister Flavio Dino said on Monday.
Read more »
Rare lightning bolt images from Brazil detail how rods workObservation of lightning attachment to a building reveals novel details regarding how the system works.
Read more »
Starlink Terminals Found in Illegal Mining Areas of Brazil's AmazonBrazilian criminals are using Starlink terminals to conduct illegal activities in mining areas in dense regions of the Amazon.
Read more »
How Puerto Rico’s Music Turned the Small Island Into a Global ForceExecutives discuss how artists, including BadBunny, have led Puerto Rico to hold such a big influence in the industry. 🇵🇷
Read more »
Dead Island 2's Amazon Alexa voice commands are novel, limited | Digital TrendsDeadIsland2's Alexa Game Control implementation allows players to change weapons and set waypoints, but it's a little limited so far.
Read more »