Washington DC, April 24 -- Microplastics are floating through the atmosphere and spreading across the globe, but their true origins have been misunderstood.

New research shows land sources emit over 20 times more microplastic particles into the air than the ocean, challenging earlier beliefs. Scientists also discovered that previous models dramatically overestimated how much plastic is in the atmosphere.

The atmosphere plays a major role in spreading microplastics across the planet, carrying these tiny particles to even the most remote regions. People and animals can inhale them, raising concerns about potential health effects. Once airborne, microplastics can also fall back to Earth, adding to pollution in oceans and soils around the w...