50 years in the past, scientists found the Nice Pacific Rubbish Patch

Setting sail right into a plastic sea — Science Information, February 10, 1973

Scientists on an oceanographic voyage within the Central North Pacific final August grew to become startled concerning the variety of artifical objects littering the ocean floor. [Far from civilization and shipping lanes], they recorded 53 artifical objects in 8.2 hours of viewing. Greater than half have been plastic. They go on to compute that there are between 5 million and 35 million plastic bottles adrift within the North Pacific.

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The Nice Pacific Rubbish Patch is bigger now than it was in 1973, containing an estimated 1.8 trillion items of plastic inside an space twice the dimensions of Texas (SN On-line: 3/22/18). Lately, marine biologists have began seeing proof that rubbish is disrupting ocean ecosystems. As an example, giant items of trash have helped species cross into new territories (SN: 10/28/17, p. 32). However an excellent higher menace might lurk beneath the waves. Tiny bits of plastic focus tons of of meters deep the place they are often eaten by filter feeders and probably make their method into the heart of bigger predators (SN: 7/6/19 & 7/20/19, p. 5).