Scientists have spotted microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters, in some of the most pristine environments on Earth, from the depths of the Mariana Trench to the snow on Mt. Everest to the mountaintop clouds of China and Japan. Microplastics have been detected in human brains, the bellies of sea turtles and the roots of plants. Now, new research led by Penn State scientists reveals that microplastics in the atmosphere could be affecting weather and climate.

It turns out microplastics have an effect on the weather and climate.

Scientists show that microplastic particles can have the same effects, producing ice crystals at temperatures 5 to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than droplets without microplastics.