Tangled Currents – The Poetry of Science todayheadline

Below the ice-cloak’s reach,
fractured filaments weave
their silent nets –
a ship’s tear,
a bottle’s ghost,
stitched into
the salt-laden womb.
Where oceans stumble
and warmth gnaws
at frost’s spine,
life’s frail lanterns drift,
snared by tide-binders
devoid of life.
In shadowed keels
we chart the spill
and the scorch,
mapping the ache
of waters undone –
a world remade
in fragments.

This poem is inspired by recent research, which has found microplastic hotspots across the Southern Ocean.

The Southern Ocean, one of the most remote and fragile ecosystems on Earth, is facing increasing pressures from human activity. Microplastic pollution, tiny plastic particles that accumulate in the environment, has now been detected even in these distant waters. Coupled with ongoing climatic changes, such as ocean warming and acidification, the presence of microplastics introduces additional challenges for marine life and ecosystems that are already under stress.

This research highlights areas where these combined pressures are most acute. By analysing data on microplastic emissions from ship traffic, research facilities, and tourism, alongside ecological and climate stress factors, the study identifies key risk hotspots. Coastal regions near human activity, particularly around the northern Antarctic Peninsula, emerge as areas of concern. This is the first study to map the threat of microplastics in the Southern Ocean within a broader context of multiple stressors, providing critical insights into where monitoring and mitigation efforts are urgently needed to protect this unique and vulnerable ecosystem.