How Microplastics Are Invading Our Bodies, with Matthew Campen

You’ve heard of plastic polluting oceans. But what if it’s polluting you—your brain, your reproductive system, even your unborn children? In this eye-opening episode, we speak with Prof. Matthew Campen, a scientist at the University of New Mexico, whose latest studies have uncovered evidence of microplastics in placentas, reproductive organs and brains of humans—particularly in the frontal cortex, where decision-making and personality live. We explore how these plastic particles are entering our bodies (hint: it’s not just your water bottle), what they might be doing to us, and why scientists are just beginning to understand the true scope of the issue. From declining sperm counts to potential links with dementia, this episode asks a critical question: Are microplastics the next big public health crisis? Follow Big Brains: LinkedIn: X: Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You can listen to How Microplastics Are Invading Our Bodies, with Matthew Campen online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

How Microplastics Are Invading Our Bodies, with Matthew Campen is an episode from Big Brains by University of Chicago Podcast Network.

This episode is 00:28:18 long.

This episode was published on Aug 7, 2025.

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