# How Microplastics Are Invading Our Bodies, with Matthew Campen

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/big-brains-1022699/how-microplastics-are-invading-our-bodies-with-matthew-campen
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/big-brains-1022699/how-microplastics-are-invading-our-bodies-with-matthew-campen.md
Podcast: [Big Brains](https://stenobird.com/podcast/big-brains-1022699)
Published: 2025-08-07T12:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://big-brains.simplecast.com/episodes/how-microplastics-are-invading-our-bodies-with-matthew-campen-gH51OzA8
Audio file: https://afp-920658-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/b15505d2-a359-4f02-b0c3-b7602dbe79f1/episodes/5bd59a09-3b0d-4332-9589-d4d0892f814a/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=b15505d2-a359-4f02-b0c3-b7602dbe79f1&awEpisodeId=5bd59a09-3b0d-4332-9589-d4d0892f814a&feed=4FF7CAnQ
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Duration seconds: 1698

## Resource

You’ve heard of plastic polluting oceans. But what if it’s polluting you—your brain, your reproductive system, even your unborn children? In this eye-opening episode, we speak with Prof. Matthew Campen, a scientist at the University of New Mexico, whose latest studies have uncovered evidence of microplastics in placentas, reproductive organs and brains of humans—particularly in the frontal cortex, where decision-making and personality live. We explore how these plastic particles are entering our bodies (hint: it’s not just your water bottle), what they might be doing to us, and why scientists are just beginning to understand the true scope of the issue. From declining sperm counts to potential links with dementia, this episode asks a critical question: Are microplastics the next big public health crisis?

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## Transcript

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