You know microplastics, the little bits of plastic trash that've so deeply permeated the Earth that they've been found in clouds, rocks, caves that were sealed off from all humans, and even our brains, arteries, hearts, and sperm?
Well, now scientists are warning that these dastardly particles could undermine the entire world's food supplies by undercutting plants' ability to photosynthesize.
As detailed in a new meta-study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and spotted by The Guardian, an international team of researchers examined the results of 157 studies on how microplastics affect plant life.
Their findings — which other experts say will require further data and research to be confirmed — paint an alarming picture of the future of our food supply. According to their analysis, between four and 14 percent of the globe's wheat, rice, and maize crops are being lost due to microplastics.
That's because the presence of microplastics reduces the photosynthetic efficiency across terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems by anywhere from seven to 12 percent, the researchers found.
Worse yet, the situation could get even worse within the next two decades, an "alarming scenario" for food security.
Crop losses could even climb to a similar scale of the losses induced by climate change, the researchers suggest.
"Humanity has been striving to increase food production to feed an ever-growing population [but] these ongoing efforts are now being jeopardised by plastic pollution," the paper reads. "These findings underscore the urgency for effective plastic mitigation strategies and provide insights for international researchers and policymakers to safeguard global food supplies in the face of the growing plastic crisis."
How extensive the problem really is, however, remains a subject of debate.
"This analysis is valuable and timely in reminding us of the potential dangers of microplastic pollution and the urgency of addressing the issue, [but] some of the major headline figures require more research before they can be accepted as robust predictions," University of South Wales biotechnology professor Denis Murphy told The Guardian.
Others were even more careful about the scientists' latest conclusions.
"I have considerable concerns about the quality of the original data used by the model and this has led to overspeculation about the effects of plastic contamination on food supplies," UK National Oceanography Center observational biogeochemist Richard Lampitt told the newspaper.
Nonetheless, plastic pollution has turned into a monumental issue facing humanity. Worryingly, world nations have yet to agree on ways to systematically address the problem. In December, negotiators failed to agree on a United Nations treaty to curb global plastic pollution, in large part due to a handful of oil-producing countries that refused to place a cap on plastic production.
The failed talks highlight how much work there's still left to be done — despite the existential threats plastic pollution and microplastics could already be posing.
More on microplastics: This New Paper About Eating Out of Plastic Containers Is a Bit Terrifying
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