Scientists from the Marine Biological Association and the University of Plymouth have revisited turn-of-the-century forecasts about the many and varied threats they thought were likely to face the world’s shorelines in 2025. Their new study highlights that many of their forecasts were correct, either in whole or in part, while others haven’t had the impacts that were envisaged at the time. They have also charted some of the other threats to have emerged and/or grown in significance since their original work, with notable examples including global plastic pollution, ocean acidification, extreme storms and weather, and light and noise pollution.

The public, legislators, and media often group per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS or “forever chemicals,” which are found globally in countless products, into a single category. While certain PFAS are harmful for human and public health, new articles in Heart Rhythm, the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society, the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society, and the Pediatric & Congenital Electrophysiology Society, published by Elsevier, emphasize that fluoropolymers, a specific class of PFAS, are not considered environmental contaminants and are indispensable for use in medical devices. Experts call for a balanced approach to protect both the environment and availability of essential medical technologies.