Lessons /

The Plastic Detective: Investigating Human’s Waste Footprint from the Ocean to Earth’s Orbit with Imogen Napper

September 14, 2023

9:00 am to 9:45 am EST

Camera spots:

6
09/14/2023 9:00 am 09/14/2023 9:45 am Europe/London The Plastic Detective: Investigating Human’s Waste Footprint from the Ocean to Earth’s Orbit with Imogen Napper -

The Plastic Detective: Investigating Human’s Waste Footprint from the Ocean to Earth’s Orbit with Imogen Napper

Dr. Imogen Napper is a Marine Scientist and National Geographic Explorer. Growing up in a seaside town, she began noticing the increasing plastic contamination on her local beaches. Driven by curiosity to understand why, she was eager to be part of the solution. Now described as a ‘Plastic Detective,’ her research investigates sources of plastic pollution in the environment. She received a PhD from the University of Plymouth and her work influenced the international ban on microbeads in cosmetics, where she found up to 3 million plastic beads could be in a facial scrub bottle. Imogen also produced the first research piece that analyzed fabric types (such as polyester) to understand how plastic fibers come off clothes during washing—this could be more than 700,000 fibers from a single wash. In fieldwork, Imogen was a scientist on the National Geographic ‘Sea to Source; Ganges Expedition’, estimating up to 3 billion microplastics could be discharged into the ocean from a major river system daily. She led microplastic research for the National Geographic ‘Perpetual Planet’ Everest expedition, finding the highest microplastics recorded near the summit, likely shed from climbers’ clothes.

She is now focussing on rubbish beyond planet Earth - Earth’s orbit. She is investigating how our ocean debris knowledge can be used to influence action and mitigation to orbital pollution from satellite debris. She has published work stating that Earth’s Orbit needs an Orbtial Treaty (simialr to the High Seas Treaty) and is advocating for a United Nations Sustainability Development Goal (UN SDG) 18 which focuses on Earth’s orbital environment to raise awareness.

September 14, 2023

9:00 am to 9:45 am EST

Available spots:

6
09/14/2023 9:00 am 09/14/2023 9:45 am Europe/London The Plastic Detective: Investigating Human’s Waste Footprint from the Ocean to Earth’s Orbit with Imogen Napper -

Upcoming Lessons:

September 14, 2023

10:00 am to 10:45 am EST

Available spots:

6

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September 14, 2023

2:00 pm to 2:45 pm EST

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6

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September 14, 2023

1:00 pm to 1:45 pm EST

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6

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September 14, 2023

12:30 pm to 1:15 pm EST

Available spots:

6

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