Fire Safety and Chemicals in our Clothes
In 1977, the flame retardant TRIS was removed from children’s pajamas as a suspected carcinogen, but it continued to be used in a host of other products—including baby cribs, car seats, and furniture.
Since then, scientists have discovered that flame retardants can leach out of products into household dust, collect in our bodies, and pose health risks, especially to developing babies.
But no flame retardant has been banned by the federal government, and there are no specific tests required before a new chemical is put on the market. And with 80,000 untested chemicals out there, that raises a question: how do we know what’s safe?
For more information, watch the feature length documentary Toxic Hot Seat.
More Like This
Can You Spot Misinformation?
Think you can beat the experts in spotting misinformation? Watch this short video and find out.
Where's That Photo From? Identify the Source
Online photos can be deceiving. Do you know how to identify the source? This skills-based video can help by teaching you how to use a reverse image search.
How the Cold War Arms Race Fueled a Sprint to the Moon
After the Soviet Union sent the first human safely into orbit, the U.S. government doubled down on its effort to win the race to the moon.
Trump and Biden Both Want to Repeal Section 230. Would That Wreck the Internet?
Today’s heated political arguments over censorship and misinformation online are rooted in a 26-word snippet of a law that created the Internet as we know it.