--- title: "Scientists Warn That Plastic Rocks Are Appearing Across the World" description: "Scientists now have come across strange types of rock that contain manmade plastic in all five inhabited continents." date: "2023-12-19" modified: "2023-12-19" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-puzzled-plastic-rocks-world" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "microplastics" - "ocean plastic" - "the digest" --- # Scientists Warn That Plastic Rocks Are Appearing Across the World ![Scientists now have come across strange types of rock that contain manmade plastic in all five inhabited continents.]() *\Image: Rodrigo FONSECA / AFP\* ## Plastic Beach Scientists have come across [strange new rocks]() that contain manmade plastic in all five inhabited continents, [*Newsweek* reports]() — a shocking sign of the sheer permeation of plastic pollution into the "natural" world. According to a [study]() published earlier this year in the journal *Environmental Science & Technology*, rocks that contain artificial plastic polymers were found along shorelines and inland in 11 countries spread across the globe. "Our recent study was the first to report the discovery of plastistones in the inland region and the first to report the chemical bonding between plastic and rock," coauthor Deyi Hou, associate professor of environment at Tsinghua University in China, told *Newsweek*. ## Polymer Rocks The first time scientists came across "plastiglomerates" was on a beach in Hawaii [almost a decade ago](). "Molten plastic, sand grains, clasts from rock, coral, shells, and wood debris were held together after campfire burning on Kamilo Beach, Hawaii, USA," Hou explained. "Since then, they have been frequently found on beaches, both on islands and mainland coastlines." As for how they're formed, Hou suggests they're not just the results of plastic debris melting in a campfire and then cooling down, but can also result from waves crashing "against intertidal rocks," causing ocean plastic to "become physically adhered to the rock surface." The chemical binding the scientists observed was possibly the result of sunlight irradiation that oxidized the plastic, they suggest. On a global scale, all of this plastic can lower microbial diversity and shed microplastics, which can eventually make their way into human and animal bodies. In short, it's an alarming trend that doesn't bode well for the future of natural ecosystems across the globe. "Plastiglomerate poses an imminent danger to ocean sustainability, blue economy and overall human health," Hou told *Newsweek*. **More on plastic rocks:** *[Alarmed Scientists Discover “Terrifying” Rocks Made of Plastic Trash on Remote Island]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()