The Race to Explore the Ocean’s Twilight Zone

As marine scientists strive to understand the mysteries of the deep, the miners are moving in. EDITORS' CHOICE May 29, 2022   Did a friend forward this? [Subscribe here](. Good Morning!   This Sunday, we’ve got a new story on the Twilight Zone. No, not the TV show. But it’s arguably just as otherworldly. Find out why scientists looking to unlock Twilight Zone’s secrets[are up against the clock](. Also, what’s up with our [hidden consumption of microplastics](? And can physics be a [form of life](? Plus, award-winning [science journalist Katharine Gammon]( joins us for this week’s Behind the Scenes. Don’t miss that below. Experience the endless possibilities and deep human connections that science offers [SUBSCRIBE TO NAUTILUS](   [ENVIRONMENT]( [The Race to Explore the Ocean’s Twilight Zone]( As marine scientists strive to understand the mysteries of the deep, the miners are moving in. [Continue reading →](   Enjoying this new section? [Let us know your thoughts.](mailto:newsletter@nautil.us) BEHIND THE SCENES [How Microplastics Affect Our Health]( Katharine Gammon’s recent story, “[You Eat a Credit Card’s Worth of Plastic Every Week](,” struck a chord with readers. She said she saw it resonate with people quite a bit on Twitter. Why? “There’s just a curiosity about what happens within our bodies when we eat these things, or breathe them in, and what they do to different organs, and what they might mean for our future,” she said. “There’s still so much unknown.” In our conversation, she mentioned an arresting idea, that microplastics are so ubiquitous that scientists are [starting to talk about a “plastic cycle”]( as if it were a natural and enduring feature of the environment, like the water and nitrogen cycles. Could the presence of microplastics in our environment serve as a signature of the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch inaugurated by human activity? “Absolutely,” Gammon said. “Every time we take a plastic bag from the grocery store we’re making a 500-year decision in an instant because you know that’s going to be around for far longer than you or your kids or your grandkids.” We also discussed, among other things, what all this means for those working on policies to protect us from microplastics, as well as what other stories Gammon is reporting on. [Watch here](. –Brian Gallagher, associate editor   [MICROBIOLOGY]( [You Eat a Credit Card’s Worth of Plastic Every Week]( What is our hidden consumption of microplastics doing to our health? [Continue reading →](   [Open Call for the 2022 Jackson Wild Media Awards]( We are seeking entries for the [2022 Jackson Wild Media Awards](! These awards celebrate excellence and innovation in nature, science and conservation storytelling. [Submit your film]( to nature’s equivalent to the Oscars today. The deadline is June 1, 2022. [Learn More](   [ENVIRONMENT]( [Plastic Is the Ocean’s New Junk Food]( From the archive: By 2050, it’s likely that plastic in the oceans will outweigh all the oceans’ fish. [Continue reading →](   [“I came across a creature so unexpected, so alien-like; the kind of thing I imagined you’d find only in the deep.”]( [Ruxandra Guidi on the urgent mission to understand the Twilight Zone.](       [PHYSICS]( [What Is Time?]( BY ANNAKA HARRIS “I think the flow of time is not part of the fundamental structure of reality,” theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli tells me. [Continue reading →](   [NEUROSCIENCE]( [No Two Human Brains Are Alike]( BY WILLIAM A. HARRIS The brains of human beings are different from those of every other species of animal, because all species’ brains have been tuned to their lifestyles through millions of years of evolution. [Continue reading →](           [PHYSICS]( [Is Physical Law an Alien Intelligence?]( BY CALEB SCHARF From the archive: Perhaps Arthur C. Clarke was being uncharacteristically unambitious. [Continue reading →](   EBOOKS [Learn Even More About the World of Science]( Your digital experience isn’t complete without a [Nautilus eBook](. These eBooks feature articles designed to spark curiosity and wonder about science and how it relates to the critical issues our society is facing. Learn from the world's best thinkers and scientists and [join them at the forefront]( of human knowledge with Nautilus. [Purchase Now](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2021 NautilusNext, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from nautil.us. Our mailing address is: NautilusNext 360 W 36th Street, 7S, New York, NY 10018 To view in your browser, [click here]( . Don't want to hear from us anymore? Click here to [unsubscribe]( .