Plastic Bottles And Medicine

An eye-opening account of the landmark research into the hidden chemicals that are endangering our health and keeping us fat

They didn't start out as environmental warriors. Clair Patterson was a geochemist focused on determining the age of the Earth. Herbert Needleman was a pediatrician treating inner-city children. But in the chemistry lab and the hospital ward, they met a common enemy: lead. It was literally everywhere - in gasoline and paint, of course, but also in water pipes and food cans, toothpaste tubes and toys, ceramics and cosmetics, jewelry and batteries. Though few people worried about it at the time, lead was also toxic.

An eye-opening account of the landmark research into the hidden chemicals that are endangering our health and keeping us fat

What is the likelihood that common chemicals such as bisphenol-A, which is found in plastic water bottles, are harming us? Should shoppers be concerned about pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables in the supermarket produce aisle? Are we risking adverse health effects when we use insect repellent that contains DEET or slather on sunscreen? Modern life requires us to navigate an endless sea of chemicals. How do we know whether we need to worry about them?

A preventative medicine physician and staff writer for The Atlantic explains the surprising and unintended effects of our hygiene practices in this informative and entertaining introduction to the new science of skin microbes and probiotics.