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The Biggest Chemical Coverup In History

Veritasium · 37.5M views · 2025-05-14 · 54:08

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Overview

Veritasium investigates PFAS forever chemicals, from Teflon's history to pollution of the global water system and their presence in the US population. It covers the corporate cover-up and the host's own blood tests.

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Recommended as a good, accessible explanation of PFAS, its low safe limits and why regulation matters.

Recommended by 3 HN people across 3 months · HN mentions 2025–2026

Topics

ChemistryEnvironment, agriculture & food systemsMedicine & infectious disease
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pfasteflonwater pollutionchemical industrypublic health

What people said

chiph · 2025-05 · Strong recommendation

Based on his video, I have given up eating microwave popcorn and have gone back to stove-top made. If his numbers are to be believed (and I do), the coating on the inside of a microwave popcorn bag that is used to keep the cooking oils from soaking into the paper emit PFAS chemicals. Which leach into the popcorn oils - later to be consumed by you. In the chart comparing them with other coated papers such as fast food burger wrappers, they are far and away the leading source of PFAS. I still have questions - do the PFAS chemicals leach into the oils while sitting on the store shelf, or are they emitted when they get heated up in the microwave and exceed some temperature (like getting a Teflon pan too hot)? Not that this makes a difference in the end result, but I am curious. Video link: [VIDEO]

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starwatch · 2025-10 · Recommendation

If you want more context on PFAS, I recommend this Veritasium video [0]. It expanded on my usual thought of "PFAS = bad," explaining why non-stick cookware is probably fine while other forms of PFAS are problematic. The video also covers the environmental damage caused by PFAS manufacturing. [0]: [VIDEO]

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ourmandave · 2025-06 · Recommendation

If you want a good explanation of PFAs, Veritasium did a video on it. [VIDEO] The safe allowable ppm counts are insanely low for this shit.

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Sources

Video by Veritasium, played through YouTube.

Data and selection notes

HN summaries and labels may contain AI errors. HN dates refer to discussions, not video publication.

HN Library: HackerTube export (2026-10-31) and open-index/hacker-news. Upstream summaries and classifications may contain AI errors.

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