Podcast: Hidden 'forever chemicals' found in Great Lakes fish raise new health concerns

Podcast: Hidden 'forever chemicals' found in Great Lakes fish raise new health concerns

A recent study found dozens of previously unidentified PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” in Lake Huron’s water, fish and mussels, suggesting contamination is more widespread than previously thought. Some PFAS are linked to serious health risks, but most of the thousands of PFAS compounds in use remain poorly studied. The episode features Clarkson University environmental chemist Bernard Crimmins, who explains the advanced testing method the researchers used to find new PFAS chemicals, a fishing charter captain describing his concerns around PFAS and other contaminants in fish in the Great Lakes, and a Michigan representative who talks about a bill she introduced to limit PFAS in consumer products but which failed. Together, their insights highlight the growing challenge of understanding the health and environmental impacts of PFAS pollution across the Great Lakes region and globally. Key points: 1:29 – A 2025 study finds dozens of previously unknown PFAS chemicals in the fish, mussels, and waters of Lake Huron. 3:55 – “Captain Steve” Hubert with Chum Bucket Charters explains his concerns about PFAS in fish and their potential impact on his business. 4:42 – Gillian Miller with Ecology Center outlines the state and federal regulatory structure. 6:06 – A 2024 Michigan bill attempts to limit PFAS in consumer products but is not passed.  Resources: To read this article, check out my Substack newsletter Nature Signals [https://ruththornton.substack.com/]. Resources: Study: Ren et al., 2025. Suspect screening and nontargeted analysis of polyfluoroalkyl substances in Lake Huron water and biota [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0380133025000012]. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 51(2):102507. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) [https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc]. European Food Safety Authority: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) [https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas]. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: PFAS explained [https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained].  Study: Yu et al., 2025. A global overview of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance regulatory strategies and their environmental impact [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12030800/]. Toxics, 13(4): 251. Michigan Eat Safe Fish Guides [https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury-prev/environmental-health/topics/eatsafefish/guides]. Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe [https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Podcast: The State of Nature Update #25

Summary: This episode of Nature Signals examines recent biodiversity and environmental news, ranging from bird behavior to wolf-moose dynamics and plastic pollution. You’ll hear about how Hawaiian songbirds steal nesting materials from one another, why European city birds fear women more than men, how wolf reintroduction on Isle Royale has successfully reduced an overabundant moose population, and about the botched rescue attempt of “Timmy” the humpback whale. It concludes with research showing that toxic chemicals and climate change together harm fertility in humans and wildlife, but just one week of reduced plastic exposure can significantly lower hormone-disrupting chemicals in people. Key points: Biodiversity: 0:54 - Some birds steal nesting materials from other nests, adding to their threats 2:37 - City birds appear to be more afraid of women than of men, for unknown reasons 3:42 - More wolves are thriving on Isle Royale than in nearly 50 years 5:00 - The botched rescue attempt of Timmy, the humpback whale stranded in Germany Pollution & Plastics 8:02 - Toxic chemicals and climate change work together to harm fertility across species 8:54 - Seven days without plastic contact slashes chemicals in the body   Resources: To read this article, check out my Substack newsletter Nature Signals [https://ruththornton.substack.com/]. Articles & Resources: The New York Times, 5/12/2026, by Sara Novak: Building nests is hard. That’s why some birds steal [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/science/birds-steal-nest-material.html]. Wilson Ranking et al., 2026, Upcycling in the Hawaiian islands: Native forest birds commonly engage in nest material kleptoparasitism [https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/740144]. American Naturalist. Scientific American, 4/28/2026, by Blaire Cameron: City birds appear to be more afraid of women than men, and scientists have no idea why [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/city-birds-appear-more-afraid-of-women-than-men-and-scientists-have-no-idea-why/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TIS_050126&utm_term=2%20min%20read&_kx=szbrv5WTpVDdvMFHZRxlv5edhqDQOMo8EAjivofnd80.WEer5A]. Morelli et al., 2025, Sex matters: European urban birds flee approaching women sooner than approaching men [https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pan3.70226]. People and Nature: 8(2): 316-326. MLive, 4/27/2026, by Tanda Gmiter: Isle Royale’s wolf population surges to highest numbers in nearly 50 years [https://www.mlive.com/environment/2026/04/isle-royales-wolf-population-surges-to-highest-numbers-in-nearly-50-years.html?lctg=6457ca4ecc2b3d3853033516&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter_morning_briefing%202026-04-28&utm_term=Newsletter_morning_briefing]. Michigan Technological University, 4/27/2026, by Cyndi Perkins: Isle Royale wolf population nears historic high as moose numbers plummet [https://www.mtu.edu/news/2026/04/isle-royale-wolf-population-nears-historic-high-as-moose-numbers-plummet.html]. Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Project annual reports [https://www.isleroyalewolf.org/annual-reports]. Science, 5/4/2026, by Martin Enserink: Chaotic whale rescue shocks marine scientists [https://www.science.org/content/article/chaotic-whale-rescue-shocks-marine-biologists?utm_source=Live+Audience&utm_campaign=cd8cfd3c89-nature-briefing-daily-20260506&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-33f35e09ea-499214112]. The Guardian, 5/5/2026, by Kate Connolly: Rescue of Timmy the whale ‘an all-round catastrophe’ after tracker failure [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/05/expert-brands-rescue-of-timmy-the-whale-an-all-round-catastrophe-over-deficient-tracker]. IFAW News, 5/11/2026: Timmy the whale and the limits of good intentions [https://www.ifaw.org/journal/timmy-humpback-baltic-sea]. The Guardian, 5/15/2026, by Patrick Greenfield: What the fate of Timmy the whale says about conservation [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/14/what-the-fate-of-timmy-the-whale-says-about-conservation]. EHN, 5/1/2026, by Staff: Toxic chemicals and climate change work together to harm fertility across species [https://www.ehn.org/chemicals-climate-change-fertility?vgo_ee=j0zmJld6hOTAKXxSO2IV4VCSOa17Z53%2B1htig8f4%2B0hDYrU7kA%3D%3D%3AI4nyQi7vmERE5A1V5KxcRNmYUuBsbrD7]. Brander et al., 2026, Impacts of environmental stressors on fertility and fecundity across taxa, with implications for planetary health. [https://www.nature.com/articles/s44454-026-00032-6]NPJ Emerging Contaminants: 2, 12. Medical Xpress, 4/22/2026, by Sadie Harley: Seven days without plastic contact slashes phthalates and bisphenols in body [https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-days-plastic-contact-slashes-phthalates.html]. Harray et al., 2026, Low-plastic diet and urinary levels of plastic-associated phthalates and bisphenols: the randomized controlled PERTH tria [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04324-7]l. Nature Medicine. Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe [https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Podcast: Butterfly Houses - Boon for Conservation or Cause for Concern?

Millions of butterflies are traded all over the world each year to entertain visitors in butterfly houses. But is it good for butterflies, as proponents claim? Listen to the episode to find out more about the industry, impacts on conservation and local communities, and why many experts are concerned about potential negative effects on the butterflies themselves. Key points: 1:59 - The hidden world behind butterfly houses and the global butterfly trade 4:20 - How butterfly farms in Africa, Asia, and South America supply millions of butterflies each year 5:33 - Concerns about captive breeding, genetic mixing, disease transmission, and escaped butterflies 6:10 - What monarch butterfly studies reveal about the risks of captive rearing 7:40 – The conservation argument: Examples of butterfly farming projects supporting local communities in Kenya and Costa Rica 10:00 - How butterfly houses could become stronger tools for conservation education 10:26 - Practical ways listeners can help butterflies at home through native plants, reduced pesticide use, and habitat protectionResources: Resources: To read this article, check out my Substack newsletter Nature Signals [https://ruththornton.substack.com/]. Selected news articles and websites: * Earth Island Journal, by Bob Koigi, 7/18/2016: How butterfly farmers are safeguarding the forest in Kenya [https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/articles/entry/butterfly_farmers_safeguarding_forest_kenya/#%23]. * Mongabay, by Janet Njung’e, 2/8/2019: Butterfly business: Insect farmers help conserve East African forests [https://news.mongabay.com/2019/02/butterfly-business-insect-farmers-help-conserve-east-african-forests/]. * United Nations Environment Programme, 1/2/2020: Paying the school fees, one butterfly at a time [https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/paying-school-fees-one-butterfly-time]. * Kipepeo Butterfly Project [https://kipepeo.org], Kenya. * Butterfly farm: El Bosque Nuevo [https://www.elbosquenuevo.org/community-growth], Costa Rica. Conservation organizations: * Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation [https://xerces.org]. * Report: State of butterflies in the United States: A Roadmap for Butterfly Conservation in the 21st Century [https://xerces.org/publications/scientific-reports/state-of-butterflies-in-united-states?_gl=1*1fued7d*_gcl_au*NTg4NTM4NDUwLjE3Nzc1NzMyODQuODA4NjQ3NzcwLjE3Nzc1NzM0MDcuMTc3NzU3MzQwNg..*_ga*MjA5MTA3MTQxLjE3Nzc1NzMyODQ.*_ga_4H43V6TS1Y*czE3Nzc1NzMyODMkbzEkZzEkdDE3Nzc1NzM3NTkkajI1JGwwJGgyNzkyODE0MjM.]. 2025. * North American Butterfly Association [https://naba.org] (NABA) * Butterfly Conservation Europe [https://www.bc-europe.eu] (BCE) * MonarchWatch [https://www.monarchwatch.org] - researches monarch butterflies, their habitat and fall migration. Trade organizations: * International Butterfly Breeders Association [https://www.internationalbutterflybreeders.org] (IBBA) * Association for Butterflies [https://afbeducation.org](AFB) Selected scientific articles: * Parsons, 1992. The butterfly farming and trading industry in the Indo-Australian region and its role in tropical forest conservation [https://journals.flvc.org/troplep/article/view/89903]. Tropical Lepidoptera, 3(Suppl. 1): 1-31. * Boppré and Vane-Wright, 2012. The butterfly house industry: Conservation risks and education opportunities [https://journals.lww.com/coas/fulltext/2012/10030/the_butterfly_house_industry__conservation_risks.7.aspx]. Conservation & Society, 10(3): 285-303. * Tenger-Trolander et al., 2019. Contemporary loss of migration in monarch butterflies [https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1904690116]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(29): 14671-14676. * Davis, Smith and Ballew. 2020. A poor substitute for the real thing: captive-reared monarch butterflies are weaker, paler and have less elongated wings than wild migrants [https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsbl/article/16/4/20190922/34694/A-poor-substitute-for-the-real-thing-captive]. Biology Letters, the Royal Society Publishing. 16(4): 20190922. * Wilcox et al., 2021. Captive-reared migratory monarch butterflies show natural orientation when released in the wild [https://academic.oup.com/conphys/article/9/1/coab032/6274228]. Conservation physiology, 9(1): coab32. * Saul-Gershenz, 2022. Insect zoos and butterfly houses for public education: issues related to shipping and international trade of non-native insects [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35925628/]. Scientific and Technical Review, 41(1): 142-157. * Tenger-Trolander, 2023. Environmental and genetic effects of captivity - are there lessons for monarch butterfly conservation? [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214574523000858] Current Opinion in Insect Science, 59: 101088. Nature Signals is a reader-supported publication. It takes many hours to research and record each post. To receive new posts in your inbox and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here: Nature Signals [https://ruththornton.substack.com/] website. Not ready to subscribe? Consider buying me a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/ruththornton] (or a beer…). Any support is greatly appreciated! Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe [https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Audio Edition: The State of Nature Update #24

Here is the recorded version of Saturday’s State of Nature Update, in case you prefer to listen to your biodiversity news or just don’t have the time to read everything you’d like to. This week I’m covering stories about: Biodiversity: * Ukrainians find joy in releasing bats rescued from war. * Chimpanzees are waging a civil war. No one knows why. * More than half of Britain’s butterflies are declining, study finds. * Hot, dry winters could be helping Wyoming’s big game - or hurting it. * Ants provide a ‘carwash service’ to other ants. * Marine mammals play to train for life - and perhaps to just have fun. Pollution & Pesticides: * PFAS levels in some seabird eggs are declining. Conservation: * World reaches milestone of protecting 10% of oceans. Have an extra two minutes? If you haven’t already, I’d greatly appreciate if you could answer a few questions to help me make Nature Signals better! Thank you so much! The written version is available here: Articles covered: * Associated Press, 4/6/2026, by Derek Gatopoulos and Vasilisa Stepanenko: After harsh winter, Ukrainians find joy in releasing bats rescued from war [https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-bats-spring-kyiv-810fc1d18dfee2db1a1e34ba2f17f136]. * The New York Times, 4/9/2026, by Carl Zimmer: These chimps began the bloodiest ‘war’ on record. No one knows why. [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/science/chimpanzees-war-ngogo-uganda.html] * The Guardian, 4/15/2026, by Patrick Barkham: More than half of Britain’s butterfly species in decline, monitoring scheme shows. [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/15/butterfly-monitoring-scheme-britain-decline] * WyoFile, 4/14/2026, by Christine Peterson: Hot, dry winter could be blessing - or curse - for Wyoming’s big game [https://wyofile.com/hot-dry-winter-could-be-blessing-or-curse-for-wyomings-big-game/]. * The New York Times, 4/13/2026, by Alexa Robles-Gil: For ants, a ‘cleaning station’ in the desert. [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/13/science/harvester-cone-ants-cleaning.html?campaign_id=34&emc=edit_sc_20260414&instance_id=174042&nl=science-times®i_id=29801390&segment_id=218194&user_id=3218fc588ca5539a17a46c388163af63] * bioGraphic, 4/15/2026, by Sarah Gilman: Pass the pufferball [https://www.biographic.com/pass-the-pufferball/]. * Environmental Health News, 4/16/2026: Declining PFAS levels in seabird eggs reflect impact of regulatory action [https://www.ehn.org/pfas-seabird-eggs?vgo_ee=118MM%2FAkto3CyTvt0RFuSrgaawpZJY1Rixkbw%2FQ128g5afP7Ww%3D%3D%3Am7ZrZLjDMNBQiQlY%2FuNUDbB9b5WJ%2BH8H]. * UNEP WCMC (Environment Programme), April 2026 news: World reaches milestone for nature: 10% of ocean now officially protected [https://www.unep-wcmc.org/en/news/world-reaches-milestone-for-nature-10-of-ocean-now-officially-protected]. Know someone who might enjoy this post? I’d love for you to share it: Not ready to subscribe? Consider buying me a coffee (or a beer…). Any support is greatly appreciated! Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe [https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Audio Edition: Extinction Slowdown? Study Offers a Rare Hope for Biodiversity

Here’s the recorded version of Saturday’s post about an encouraging study that found that the loss of animals, plants and fungi seems to be slowing down, at least compared to the past 500 years. Have an extra two minutes? If you haven’t already done so, I’d greatly appreciate if you could answer a few questions to help me make Nature Signals better! For links to the study and other resources, check out the written version here: Know someone who might enjoy this post? I’d love for you to share it: Nature Signals is a reader-supported publication. It takes many hours to write and research each post. To receive new posts in your inbox and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Not ready to subscribe? Consider buying me a coffee (or a beer…). Any support is greatly appreciated! Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe [https://ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]