#polystyrene — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #polystyrene, aggregated by home.social.
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DATE: May 28, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Nanoplastics cause abnormal branch growth in neurons
URL: https://www.psypost.org/nanoplastics-cause-abnormal-branch-growth-in-neurons/
Tiny pieces of plastic can enter brain cells and alter their physical development, with the smallest particles causing the most noticeable changes. New research reveals that while low levels of microscopic polystyrene plastics do not kill brain cells or stop them from communicating, particles measuring just 50 nanometers wide prompt nerve cell branches to grow abnormally long. These findings were published in the journal NanoImpact, raising new questions about how environmental plastic pollution might affect neurological health over time.
Global plastic production continues to climb every year, generating massive amounts of waste that eventually breaks down into microscopic fragments. These fragments can enter the human body through the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe. Once inside, these tiny particles travel through the bloodstream and can lodge in various organs, including the lungs, liver, and kidneys.
Recent research has revealed that plastic particles can also cross the blood-brain barrier. This barrier is a highly selective border of cells that usually protects the brain from harmful substances circulating in the blood. Finding plastic within brain tissue has sparked widespread concern about potential neurological risks. This discovery prompted researchers to investigate exactly how these synthetic materials interact with delicate brain cells.
Most prior laboratory tests on plastic toxicity used exceptionally high doses or large plastic particles. Scientists often tested these massive doses on robust, immortalized cancer cell lines rather than normal brain tissue. This approach left a large gap in our understanding of how realistic amounts of small plastics might affect healthy, developing brain networks. To address this blind spot, a team of researchers from the University of Eastern Finland designed an experiment to observe the effects of low doses of microscopic plastics on highly sensitive brain cells.
Veronika Górová, a doctoral researcher at the A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, led the study. Górová and her colleagues focused their efforts on understanding how the sheer physical size of a plastic fragment changes its biological impact. They hypothesized that tinier particles would be absorbed more easily by cells, leading to more distinct biological changes than their larger counterparts.
The researchers chose to study primary cortical neurons, which are specialized cells taken directly from the outer layer of the brain of fetal mice. Neurons are the primary messengers of the nervous system, using electrical and chemical signals to process information and control the body. By using fresh cells rather than immortalized lab strains, the team created a model that more closely mimics how a living brain might react to foreign materials.
To test their hypothesis, the team exposed these neurons to tiny spheres made of polystyrene, a very common type of plastic used in everything from food packaging to building insulation. They used particles in three extremely small sizes: 50 nanometers, 100 nanometers, and 250 nanometers in diameter. For perspective, a human hair is roughly 80,000 to 100,000 nanometers wide, making even the largest of these tested plastics entirely invisible to the naked eye.
The neurons were submerged in liquid containing these plastic spheres for 24 hours. The researchers intentionally kept the concentration of the plastics low. They wanted to simulate a more realistic environmental exposure and observe subtle changes in the cells, rather than simply poisoning the neurons with an overwhelming amount of foreign material.
After the exposure period, the team used advanced microscopes to look inside the neurons. They successfully observed the 250-nanometer plastic pieces accumulating inside the bodies of the brain cells. The team noted that as the concentration of the plastic increased in the surrounding liquid, the amount of plastic absorbed by the cells also increased.
The microscopes used in the study could not clearly visualize the 50-nanometer pieces due to their incredibly small size. However, the researchers suspected these tiny pieces were also entering the cells. To determine if the plastics were harming the basic survival of the neurons, the researchers performed a test to measure the metabolic health of the cells.
They found that these low doses did not impair the basic survival or metabolic function of the neurons. The cells continued to process energy normally, showing no signs of dying off. It was only when the researchers applied extremely high doses of the plastics, far above their intended test range, that the neurons began to show signs of damage and reduced survival rates.
The team then investigated whether the tiny plastics affected the physical shape of the cells. Neurons grow long, thin extensions called neurites, which eventually become the wiring that connects different parts of the brain together. Proper neurite growth is an essential part of brain development and learning.
Using specialized imaging software, the researchers measured the length of these branches after the plastic exposure. They discovered that neurons exposed to the 50-nanometer plastics grew longer branches than those exposed to clear liquid. The cells exposed to the larger 100-nanometer and 250-nanometer plastics did not show this abnormal branch lengthening.
To understand what was happening at a deeper level, the team examined the neuronal transcriptome. The transcriptome is the complete set of genetic instructions, or RNA molecules, that a cell is actively reading and using at any given time. By looking at these instructions, scientists can see which genes a cell is turning on or off in response to stress.
The genetic analysis revealed subtle alterations in the cells exposed to the 50-nanometer plastics. The researchers found changes in the activity of genes known to control nerve branch growth and cell development. For instance, a specific gene associated with extending nerve branches, which relies on calcium to function, was highly active. This genetic shift matched the physical branch lengthening they had seen under the microscope.
Conversely, the larger 250-nanometer plastics did not cause these same genetic shifts. “It is important to understand that not only the concentration and material, but also the size of the particles matters,” Górová said in a press release. “With decreasing nanoparticle size, we observed more pronounced, although still relatively subtle changes.”
Finally, the scientists checked to see if the plastics disrupted the electrical communication between the neurons. They placed the cells on microscopic sensor plates capable of detecting the tiny electrical sparks neurons use to talk to one another. After monitoring the cells for an entire day following the plastic exposure, the team saw no changes in the firing rate or the strength of the electrical signals.
The results from the electrical tests were not statistically significant, meaning the plastic did not reliably alter the cells’ communication abilities. The brain cells maintained their normal chatter despite the presence of the foreign material. This suggests that while the smallest plastics change the physical structure and genetic reading of the cells, they do not immediately shut down the brain’s basic electrical network.
While this study offers a detailed look at how microscopic plastics interact with individual brain cells, the researchers noted several limitations to their work. The experiment involved growing isolated nerve cells in a dish, which lacks the protective barriers and complex interactions found in a complete, living brain. The human brain contains multiple types of support cells that might help clear away foreign materials or react differently to the plastics.
Additionally, the laboratory exposure only lasted for 24 hours. In the real world, humans and animals are exposed to a continuous, lifelong stream of environmental plastics. The researchers point out that a brief exposure in a lab setting cannot fully replicate the cumulative effects of decades of plastic accumulation in the human body.
The team also focused entirely on polystyrene. While polystyrene is a heavily researched material, it is just one of many different types of plastics polluting the environment. Future studies will need to test other common materials, such as polyethylene, to see if different chemical makeups trigger different reactions in nerve cells.
The researchers plan to continue exploring how these materials influence neurological health over longer periods. “In the future it would be interesting to have a look at the effects with more complex models and prolonged exposures, to get closer to the real-world scenario,” Górová said. By slowly building more realistic models, the scientific community hopes to eventually determine the true risk that everyday plastic pollution poses to the developing human brain.
The study, “Polystyrene nanoplastics modulate neurite length in a size-specific manner,” was authored by Veronika Górová, Thuy Thi Lai, Alexey M. Afonin, Kore Nemeth, Anssi Pelkonen, Tarja Malm, Pasi Jalava, Riikka Lampinen and Katja M. Kanninnen.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/nanoplastics-cause-abnormal-branch-growth-in-neurons/
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Nanoplastics #Polystyrene #NeuriteLength #NeuralDevelopment #BrainHealth #Neurons #Neurotoxicity #Microplastics #Neuroscience #EnvironmentalPollution
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Scientists tested 3 popular bottled water brands for nanoplastics. The results are alarming.
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Scientists tested 3 popular bottled water brands for nanoplastics. The results are alarming.
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Scientists tested 3 popular bottled water brands for nanoplastics. The results are alarming.
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Scientists tested 3 popular bottled water brands for nanoplastics. The results are alarming.
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https://www.europesays.com/britain/34375/ Gramicci store in east London revolves around jumbo pair of shorts #ClimbingWalls #DouglasFir #England #Hackney #London #mezzanines #polystyrene #sculptures #section:all #section:interiors #shops #UK
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Remembering Poly Styrene 💔🖤
July 3, 1957 - April 25, 2011
X-Ray Spex - Art-I-Ficial - The Old Grey Whistle Test 1978
#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #punkrockhistory
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In memory of the one and only Poly Styrene, singer, songwriter, and frontwoman of the punk rock band X-Ray Spex.
Poly passed away on April 25, 2011, at the age of 53 from metastatic breast cancer. 💔🖤
📸 Gus Stewart
#punk #punkrock #polystyrene #xrayspex #womanofpunk #historyofpunk #punkrockhistory #otd
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In memory of the one and only Poly Styrene, singer, songwriter, and frontwoman of the punk rock band X-Ray Spex.
Poly passed away on April 25, 2011, at the age of 53 from metastatic breast cancer. 💔🖤
📸 Gus Stewart
#punk #punkrock #polystyrene #xrayspex #womanofpunk #historyofpunk #punkrockhistory #otd
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In memory of the one and only Poly Styrene, singer, songwriter, and frontwoman of the punk rock band X-Ray Spex.
Poly passed away on April 25, 2011, at the age of 53 from metastatic breast cancer. 💔🖤
📸 Gus Stewart
#punk #punkrock #polystyrene #xrayspex #womanofpunk #historyofpunk #punkrockhistory #otd
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In memory of the one and only Poly Styrene, singer, songwriter, and frontwoman of the punk rock band X-Ray Spex.
Poly passed away on April 25, 2011, at the age of 53 from metastatic breast cancer. 💔🖤
📸 Gus Stewart
#punk #punkrock #polystyrene #xrayspex #womanofpunk #historyofpunk #punkrockhistory #otd
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In memory of the one and only Poly Styrene, singer, songwriter, and frontwoman of the punk rock band X-Ray Spex.
Poly passed away on April 25, 2011, at the age of 53 from metastatic breast cancer. 💔🖤
📸 Gus Stewart
#punk #punkrock #polystyrene #xrayspex #womanofpunk #historyofpunk #punkrockhistory #otd
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49 years ago today
The unforgotten Poly Styrene with X-Ray Spex at Greyhound, Park Lane, Croydon, April 16, 1977.Photos by Gus Stewart
#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #history #punkrockhistory #otd
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48 years ago today
Poly Styrene performing with X-Ray Spex at CBGB in New York City on March 26, 1978.Photo by Ebet Roberts
#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #cbgb #history #punkrockhistory
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48 years ago today
Poly Styrene performing with X-Ray Spex at CBGB in New York City on March 26, 1978.Photo by Ebet Roberts
#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #cbgb #history #punkrockhistory
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48 years ago today
Poly Styrene performing with X-Ray Spex at CBGB in New York City on March 26, 1978.Photo by Ebet Roberts
#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #cbgb #history #punkrockhistory
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48 years ago today
Poly Styrene performing with X-Ray Spex at CBGB in New York City on March 26, 1978.Photo by Ebet Roberts
#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #cbgb #history #punkrockhistory
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48 years ago today
Poly Styrene performing with X-Ray Spex at CBGB in New York City on March 26, 1978.Photo by Ebet Roberts
#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #cbgb #history #punkrockhistory
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From "Record Mirror" Sept 16 1978. #PolyStyrene #XRaySpex #punk #print #magazines
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48 years ago
Poly Styrene on the front cover of Los Angeles punk fanzine 'Slash', February 1978#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #history #punkrockhistory
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48 years ago
The January 1978 Record Mirror bizarrely described punk pioneer Poly Styrene as a “sex symbol”.Poly, who fought against all oppression and sexism and abhorred any form of conformism, was certainly not and did not want to be a sex symbol
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EUROPEAN ECONOMY: German business climate weakens / Processors’ mood worsens / European manufacturers send mixed messages
EUROPEAN ECONOMY German business climate weakens / Processors’ mood worsens / European manufacturers send mixed messages — By…
#Economy #chemistry #EconomyofEU #EconomyoftheEU #EUeconomy #Europe #industry #pet #Plastics #polycarbonate #polyethylene #polyols #polystyrène #resin
https://www.europesays.com/2643462/ -
48 years ago
Poly Styrene performing with X-Ray Spex in November 1977 at the Marquee Club in London.Photo by Caitriona Reed
#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #history #punkrockhistory
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Mise à jour de ma boutique en ligne.
http://fritzbol.sumupstore.com#gravure #encre #tampons #tampon #polystyrene #workinprogress #printmaking #ink #dessin #draw #lorient #lanester #atelierscarole #fritzbol #printisntdead #reliefprinting #estampe #printmakers #polystyrogravure #print #printmaking #styrodur #gravures #parlonsgravure #pettine #peigne #champignon
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Mise à jour de ma boutique en ligne.
http://fritzbol.sumupstore.com#gravure #encre #tampons #tampon #polystyrene #workinprogress #printmaking #ink #dessin #draw #lorient #lanester #atelierscarole #fritzbol #printisntdead #reliefprinting #estampe #printmakers #polystyrogravure #print #printmaking #styrodur #gravures #parlonsgravure #pettine #peigne #champignon
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Il primo pettine del primo pettinato.
Polystyrogravure (gravure sur polystyrène extrudé).
2 couleurs à plaque perdue.
70 x 50 cm.
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Il primo pettine del primo pettinato.
Incisione su polistirolo estruso.
Stampa a due colori, con un piatto unico.
70 x 50 cm.#gravure #encre #tampons #tampon #polystyrene #workinprogress #printmaking #ink #dessin #draw #lorient #lanester #atelierscarole #fritzbol #printisntdead #reliefprinting #estampe #printmakers #polystyrogravure #print #printmaking #styrodur #gravures #parlonsgravure #pettine #peigne
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Il primo pettine del primo pettinato.
Polystyrogravure (gravure sur polystyrène extrudé).
2 couleurs à plaque perdue.
70 x 50 cm.
-
Il primo pettine del primo pettinato.
Incisione su polistirolo estruso.
Stampa a due colori, con un piatto unico.
70 x 50 cm.#gravure #encre #tampons #tampon #polystyrene #workinprogress #printmaking #ink #dessin #draw #lorient #lanester #atelierscarole #fritzbol #printisntdead #reliefprinting #estampe #printmakers #polystyrogravure #print #printmaking #styrodur #gravures #parlonsgravure #pettine #peigne
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Fungi.
Polystyrogravure (gravure sur polystyrène extrudé).
5 couleurs à plaque perdue.
50 x 70 cm.
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Fungi.
Engraving on extruded polystyrene.
5 colors (lost plate engraving).
50 x 70 cm.#gravure #encre #tampons #tampon #polystyrene #workinprogress #printmaking #ink #dessin #draw #lorient #lanester #atelierscarole #fritzbol #printisntdead #reliefprinting #estampe #printmakers #polystyrogravure #print #printmaking #styrodur #gravures #parlonsgravure
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Fungi.
Polystyrogravure (gravure sur polystyrène extrudé).
5 couleurs à plaque perdue.
50 x 70 cm.
-
Fungi.
Engraving on extruded polystyrene.
5 colors (lost plate engraving).
50 x 70 cm.#gravure #encre #tampons #tampon #polystyrene #workinprogress #printmaking #ink #dessin #draw #lorient #lanester #atelierscarole #fritzbol #printisntdead #reliefprinting #estampe #printmakers #polystyrogravure #print #printmaking #styrodur #gravures #parlonsgravure
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Fungi.
Polystyrogravure (gravure sur polystyrène extrudé).
5 couleurs à plaque perdue.
50 x 70 cm.
-
Fungi.
Engraving on extruded polystyrene.
5 colors (lost plate engraving).
50 x 70 cm.#gravure #encre #tampons #tampon #polystyrene #workinprogress #printmaking #ink #dessin #draw #lorient #lanester #atelierscarole #fritzbol #printisntdead #reliefprinting #estampe #printmakers #polystyrogravure #print #printmaking #styrodur #gravures #parlonsgravure
-
Fungi.
Polystyrogravure (gravure sur polystyrène extrudé).
5 couleurs à plaque perdue.
50 x 70 cm.
-
Fungi.
Engraving on extruded polystyrene.
5 colors (lost plate engraving).
50 x 70 cm.#gravure #encre #tampons #tampon #polystyrene #workinprogress #printmaking #ink #dessin #draw #lorient #lanester #atelierscarole #fritzbol #printisntdead #reliefprinting #estampe #printmakers #polystyrogravure #print #printmaking #styrodur #gravures #parlonsgravure
-
Fungi.
Polystyrogravure (gravure sur polystyrène extrudé).
5 couleurs à plaque perdue.
50 x 70 cm.
-
Fungi.
Engraving on extruded polystyrene.
5 colors (lost plate engraving).
50 x 70 cm.#gravure #encre #tampons #tampon #polystyrene #workinprogress #printmaking #ink #dessin #draw #lorient #lanester #atelierscarole #fritzbol #printisntdead #reliefprinting #estampe #printmakers #polystyrogravure #print #printmaking #styrodur #gravures #parlonsgravure
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Released 48 years ago today
Oh Bondage Up Yours! - The debut single by X-Ray Spex
X-Ray Spex - Oh Bondage Up Yours! (Twndish 1978)
#punk #punks #punkrock #xrayspex #polystyrene #history #punkrockhistory #otd
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48 years ago today
"Oh Bondage Up Yours!" is the debut single by English punk rock band X-Ray Spex, released on this day in 1977.#punk #punks #womenofpunk #xrayspex #polystyrene #history #punkrockhistory #otd
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34 years ago
Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex performing on stage at Brixton Academy, London, September 14, 1991.Photo by Ian Dickson
#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #history #punkrockhistory
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Yeasayer’s Anand Wilder names his top 5 ’80s divas
Though Yeasayer are no more, the band’s two lead vocalists are now both leading solo careers and when…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #AnandWilder #ArtistPicks #AU #Australia #CyndiLauper #Entertainment #KateBush #PolyStyrene #TinaTurner #tracychapman #Yeasayer
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/102939/ -
Yeasayer’s Anand Wilder names his top 5 ’80s divas
Though Yeasayer are no more, the band’s two lead vocalists are now both leading solo careers and when…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #AnandWilder #ArtistPicks #CA #Canada #CyndiLauper #Entertainment #KateBush #PolyStyrene #TinaTurner #TracyChapman #Yeasayer
https://www.newsbeep.com/ca/102272/ -
#XRaySpex are the greatest expression of punk. The music is bit saxophone heavy for me, but singer #Polystyrene had more meaning on her own than nearly all boring all-boy punk bands combined.
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Remembering Poly Styrene 💔
July 3, 1957 - April 25, 2011
X-Ray Spex - Old Grey Whistle Test 1978 - Art-I-Ficial
#punk #punks #punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #history #punkrockhistory #otd
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🖤 In memory of the one and only Marianne Joan Elliott-Said aka Poly Styrene, frontwoman of the punk rock band X-Ray Spex, born on this day in 1957, Bromley, United Kingdom 🖤
Photo by Falcon Stuart
#punkrock #womenofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #punkrockhistory #otd
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Microplastics in food and drinks damage our livers and affect metabolism, scientists say https://www.diningandcooking.com/2107341/microplastics-in-food-and-drinks-damage-our-livers-and-affect-metabolism-scientists-say/ #AmericanSocietyForNutrition #davis #food #FoodChain #FoodProduction #GlucoseIntolerance #GreatPacificGarbagePatch #LiverInjury #microplastics #nanoplastics #packaging #polystyrene #UniversityOfCalifornia
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Continuing the #polystyrene theme, it appears that people who don't frequent the various Wikipedia pages on electrostatics may never have encountered Cooper the cat covered in packing peanuts 🐱
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In memory Poly Styrene 🖤❤️
July 3rd 1957 - April 25, 2011
X-Ray Spex - Germ Free Adolescence (TOTP 23rd November 1978)
#punk #punks #punkrock #womanofpunk #polystyrene #xrayspex #history #punkrockhistory #otd
