Scientists have spotted microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters, in some of the most pristine environments on Earth, from the depths of the Mariana Trench to the snow on Mt. Everest to the mountaintop clouds of China and Japan.

Microplastics can act as ice nucleating particles, potentially altering cloud formation, precipitation, and even global climate patterns.

Is there a place on Earth where you can’t find microplastics? Scientists have found them in everything from Arctic algae to human testicles; given that we do not regularly chow down on literal pieces of plastic,

Clouds affect Earth’s weather and climate in many ways. New research suggests that the presence of microplastic particles may affect weather and climate by producing clouds in conditions where they would not form otherwise.