Studies Find High Mercury Levels in the Wild

NPR | By Richard Harris

Published March 8, 2005 at 12:00 AM EST

New research shows that fish, birds and mammals in New England have significant amounts of mercury in their bodies. The reports find the toxic metal in some unexpected places -- such as mountaintops, in rare birds that live there. The findings suggest that power plants in the Midwest are a major source of mercury for the Northeast.

Richard Harris

Award-winning journalist Richard Harris has reported on a wide range of topics in science, medicine and the environment since he joined NPR in 1986. In early 2014, his focus shifted from an emphasis on climate change and the environment to biomedical research.

See stories by Richard Harris

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