How far microplastics travel in the atmosphere depends crucially on particle shape, according to a recent study by scientists at the University of Vienna and the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organisation in Göttingen: While spherical particles settle quickly, microplastic fibers might travel as far as the stratosphere. The researchers, including ECH member Andreas Stohl, argue that further studies are urgently needed to investigate the possible influence of microplastics on the atmosphere.