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Bits of Plastic
Microplastics, explained
Microplastics, or MPs, are tiny plastic particles less than five millimeters long and have become one of Earth's most widespread pollutants. Like synthetic plastics, MPs are mostly made of long chains of hydrogen and carbon atoms, formed by linking byproducts of refining crude oil and natural gas (watch explainer). Other chemical additives may be incorporated to modify the final product’s properties.

Primary MPs, such as microbeads commonly found in exfoliating cosmetic products, are intentionally manufactured to be small. Secondary MPs, like those released while washing synthetic textiles, form from the breakdown of larger plastics and make up the bulk of MPs in the environment (learn why plastic doesn't biodegrade).

As of 2024, the FDA claims there is insufficient evidence that MPs pose any human health risk, though initial biochemical studies have linked them to inflammation and hormone disruption.

... Read our full explainer on microplastics here.

Also, check out ...
> Microplastics are everywhere on Earth—even Mount Everest. (More)
> Locating where microplastics are concentrated in the human body. (More)
> The plastic designed to dissolve in saltwater. (More)



Risks and Returns
Venture Capital, 101
Venture capital is a form of investment that firms use to invest in startups and other emerging organizations with high growth potential. In other words, VC firms bet on companies with hopes that they’ll grow into larger corporate powerhouses.

Venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, and Kleiner Perkins are best known for helping fund some of the buzziest business movements of our time, from the cryptocurrency boom to the current AI craze. In 2023, US VC investments totaled roughly $170B, falling significantly from the roughly $242B invested in 2022 (how VCs decide to invest).

These investments are considered highly risky. Roughly 75% of VC-backed companies will fail. That means the other portfolio companies need to provide significant returns to make up for all the companies that don’t yield returns (how these numbers work).

... Read our full overview on VC here.

Also, check out ...
> One VC firm honors the successful companies it missed. (More)
> The annual list of the world's top 100 venture capitalists. (More)
> Explaining venture capital using Lego bricks. (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS