and lastly, a big thank you to my team at @adriftlab.bsky.social. As #GoodScienceGoodPeople! Without you there would be no paper.

@seabirdsentinel.bsky.social @thelabandfield.bsky.social Richard Wilson, Graeme Zosky and Jack Auty.

A huge thank you to @pure-ocean.bsky.social @nhm-london.bsky.social @charlessturtuni.bsky.social @utas.edu.au @science.org Detached Hobart and Living Ocean for making this possible 🙏

Notably, the metrics commonly used to assess condition in wildlife (for example body mass) do not provide an accurate description of health or the impacts of plastic ingestion.

📸 Justin Gilligan

Most research on plastic ingestion focuses on emaciated individuals. We took a different approach, studying healthy chicks ready for migration to understand how plastic affects them without malnutrition side effects. These hidden impacts are far-reaching and could affect their survival.

The key findings reveal that plastic ingestion isn’t just a digestive issue

📸 @nealhaddaway.bsky.social

Key findings:
🧬 Cell damage
🩸 Organ dysfunction: the stomach, liver and kidneys showed signs of injury
🧠 Brain injury: early signs of neurodegeneration, similar to diseases like Alzheimer’s in humans, which would impair the cognitive functions necessary for these birds survival and breeding success