What Counts as a Novel Entity?
A novel entity is a new substance, a new form of an existing substance, or a modified life form introduced by human activities that…
Topic archive
Novel Entities
Emergence of synthetic chemicals and new materials affecting ecosystems.
Why There Is No Single Global Boundary for Chemical Pollution
Chemical pollution cannot be captured by a single global boundary because it encompasses hundreds of thousands of diverse substances with different toxicities, environmental fates,…
Novel Entities Explained: Chemicals, Plastics and Planetary Risk
Learn what novel entities are, why chemicals, plastics, PFAS, pesticides, and other synthetic substances are a planetary boundary, and how they threaten Earth's life-support…
Why Chemical Pollution Is Difficult to Measure
Chemical pollution is difficult to measure because of the vast number of chemicals in use, their complex environmental behavior, and limitations in analytical technology.…
What Are Novel Entities? A Clear Explanation of the Planetary Boundary Concept
Novel entities are human-introduced substances or organisms that can disrupt Earth's systems. They are one of the nine planetary boundaries, and their control is…