Why the Great Pacific Garbage Patch could be part of a bigger hidden problem | May 6, 2026

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:11]What's up sunshine? I'm Corey Wire.

[00:00:13]Welcome to CNN 10, your fast pass to the facts serve. Fresh in just 10 minutes, we give you the what, letting you decide what to think. We begin with an update on the US and Israel's war with Iran.

[00:00:24]Tensions keep escalating in the Straight of Hormuz. the key waterway aka oil superighway over which the US and Iran continue to fight for control. US President Donald Trump says the US military is now escorting cargo ships through the strait as part of an operation dubbed Project Freedom. This has drawn a sharp rebuke from Iran who also carried out strikes on cargo ships and key United Arab Emirates oil port this week. Iran has also signaled that it has ways to further complicate this war and it has threatened to attack any foreign military ships entering the waterway. And a new CNN investigation shows that Iran's nuclear capabilities may not be as defunct as previously thought. Arcaty Pole Glaze has an indepth look at how some key parts of the country's nuclear supply chain may still be intact even after a series of US and Israeli strikes.

[00:01:19]Let's start at the beginning of the supply chain. Alongside the research, the process starts at places like these Sagghand uranium mine where the raw material uranium ore is mined. In recent years, Sagghan mind has expanded significantly. You can see widening pits, growing piles of earth, and diggers. We looked at recent imagery since the latest strikes and found no evidence of damage. In fact, from between the clouds, you can still see diggers operating at the site. So far, this indicates this stage of the nuclear supply chain may remain untouched. Next, the min uranium ore is transported to production plants like this one in Ardican. Here, it's converted into Yellow Cake, which is a type of concentrated uranium. We found this plant was substantially damaged in recent strikes on March 27th. An image taken the following month shows little change, suggesting the Iranians have not rebuilt this site yet. After this, the yellow cake is taken here to sites like this one in Isvahan to be purified and converted into uranium hexa fluoride.

[00:02:18]And it's this one, this stage of the supply chain that has caused the biggest headache for the US and Israel. Back last June, French outlet Leond found this truck visible in imagery taken just days before the strikes. These blue containers are likely carrying uranium into the tunnels, experts told CNN. Days later, these facilities were substantially damaged in Israeli attacks. You can see several buildings wiped out. Then in early 2026, Iran covered over several entrances to these underground tunnels with earth preventing people from accessing them.

[00:02:50]Further measures were taken this April when these roadblocks were put up in front of the entrances to the tunnels.

[00:02:56]It could suggest there still remains something valuable down there. They were not, however, hit in the latest USIsraeli strikes. Even experts we spoke to are unsure why. David Albright is a worldleading expert on nuclear weapons.

[00:03:10]How much of a risk in the future is that stores in Isvahan Mountain?

[00:03:15]>> I think it's a big risk and that's quite a bit of money in the bank. I mean the amount of enriched uranium they've produced was equivalent to a full years of production of their entire enrichment complex and is believed to be mostly and almost all of it at Esvahan. In fact, the US believes this too, and their demand to remove this uranium has been a key issue in the stalling peace negotiations. And finding out exactly how much is down there is central to determining whether Iran remains a nuclear threat.

[00:03:50]Pop quiz hot shot. What is the painting technique featuring small distinct dots which form an image? Impressionism, spumato, tentibism, or pointalism?

[00:04:04]You're on point like decimals if you said pointalism. The technique developed by Gor Shar and Paul Signak in the 1800s used thousands of tiny dots of unmixed color to form one cohesive image. Now to the Met Gala, the annual celebration of art, culture, and fashion turned all the way up. Held every first Monday of May.

[00:04:25]It's a fundraiser for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. It attracts big donors and big-time stars from all walks of life. This year's theme, costume art.

[00:04:36]Actor Ben Platt channeling a pointless masterpiece inspired by Gor Serat's A Sunday afternoon on the island of Lrange Jate. Some stars were almost entirely in disguise. Heidi Clume frozen in time like a statue by Italian artist Raphael Monty's veiled vestal. Hunter Schaefer, Euphoria actor, wore a look inspired by Gustaf Clint's painting, Mada Primai.

[00:05:01]People on the red carpet said she looked like she walked straight out of the early 1900's painting. But you have to see this. Olympic phenom een goo, respplendant, floating in a dress made of 15,000 glass bubbles. It took more than 2500 hours to make. And yes, real bubbles included. She says, "Fashion, like sports, is about pushing limits and expressing your truest self." Now, to the floating garbage patch, roughly twice the size of Texas. A new study finds the Great Pacific Garbage Patch may be doing more harm than initially thought. Airborne microlastics appear to be absorbing sunlight, potentially adding to global heating. Why does this matter? Rising temperatures can fuel extreme weather, disrupt ecosystems, impact life on land and sea. Who better to break it down than our chief climate correspondent, Bill Weir. Hi, Bill.

[00:05:53]>> Coy. Yeah, I remember the first time I heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch 20 years ago. I imagined a floating dump you could walk around on.

[00:06:01]But actually, it's more like a a plastic soup, thin plastic soup where you could take a, you know, a siphon and and go through and get little pieces of plastic bottles and old fishing nets that are breaking down packaging from around the world. And it's all contained thanks to these circular currents called gys uh there. And we've always cared about the impact of this monstrosity both on the fish and the bird life, the whales and sea turtles that actually have to swim through and eat from that pollution. But this new research looks at the effects on global warming. Because as that plastic breaks down and atomizes, it gets into the air.

[00:06:41]And even a tiny little piece, a dark piece of plastic absorbs 75 times as much solar energy as a clear piece of pollution floating out there as well.

[00:06:53]And because this patch is twice the size of Texas, so three times the size of France, that's a lot of tiny particles floating in the air contributing to overall overheating. Now, it's a small percentage relative to what's happening because right now, Koi, I don't know if you know, ocean temperatures are off the charts, like records shattering highs and it's not even springtime and El Nino hasn't even kicked in yet. So, the weather created by these overheating seas is a more pressing concern. But as for the plastic, it's also worth noting last year over 100 countries came to the table ready to negotiate a global plastics treaty to get countries to reduce and reuse and recycle best they can. But it was blocked in the end by countries that produce a lot of oil, gas, and petrochemicals like the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. Koya, today's story getting a 10 out of 10.

[00:07:49]turning graves into gardens of gratitude. In Florida, eighth grader and girl scout Cassandra Seldon saw something she could not ignore. The Miami City Cemetery, which she walks by every day on her way to school, is an historic resting place for hundreds of war veterans. But Cassandra noticed they needed some TLC. So, she stepped up and cleaned their graves as a part of her Girl Scout Silver Award. I just think that it's so wrong that these veterans, they served our country and they helped us gain our freedom. So, I think that they should be respected.

[00:08:21]>> Over a year-long mission, Cassandra rallied volunteers and veterans, cleaning more than 1,700 graves. And she didn't stop there. She built a digital library for each restored veteran's grave so families can locate their loved ones. Her project may be complete, but Cassandra's impact, the veterans, they're etched into history. That is awesome stuff. All right, congrats to our your word Wednesday winners. Mr. Sherman and friends at Woodward Academy in the ATL, Georgia submitting respplendant, an adjective describing someone or something shining brilliantly, dazzling, or richly colorful. Way to work, squad. Thank you for making us smarter. Today, we have some shoutouts as well. Mrs. Blonded at Beacon Middle School in Lewis, Delaware.

[00:09:04]Thank you for commenting and subscribing on our CNN 10 YouTube channel and making us a part of your day. Finally going above and beyond from Lake Zurich, Illinois. Listen to this.

[00:09:15]>> Turn on CNN.

[00:09:19]>> We are super hyped.

[00:09:23]>> We hand class.

[00:09:26]We say 10 out of 10 out for a shout out on South Your World Wednesday. Every Wednesday. Everybody loves CNN.

[00:09:41]>> Sounds good.

[00:09:44]>> Jonathan James Mason, Mr. Nikki at Lake Zurich Middle School South. We did not know you had game like this. And Mr. Nikki, your world history songs on YouTube are the stuff of legend. Keep rocking y'all. Stay creative. Stay kind.

[00:09:57]I'm Koi Wire and I will see you tomorrow right here on CNN 10.