{
  "id": 5812543,
  "title": "How the Disaster of \"Forever Chemicals\" Was Kept Secret",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/how-the-disaster-of-forever-chemicals-was-kept-secret",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-05T14:40:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hacker News Best",
    "slug": "hacker-news-best",
    "url": "https://www.propublica.org/podcast/forever-chemicals-pfas-pfos-3m-secret-kris-hansen"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the bodies of most people worldwide, a substance known as \"forever chemicals,\" or PFAS, is believed to be present. Decades ago, a company called 3M was aware that these chemicals had infiltrated the public's blood, yet they remained silent on the matter. One former 3M scientist, Kris Hansen, assisted journalist Sharon Lerner in understanding how the company concealed this information for an extended period. Lerner explained that these chemicals, invented by humans and used in various products, are highly persistent in the environment and the human body, causing severe health issues. Sharon embarked on a decade-long investigation to uncover the truth behind the secrecy surrounding these chemicals, ultimately leading her to interview Kris Hansen, a former 3M employee who had worked in the company's environmental lab in the 1990s.",
  "summary": "Article URL: https://www.propublica.org/podcast/forever-chemicals-pfas-pfos-3m-secret-kris-hansen Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49576986 Points: 201 # Comments: 44",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hacker News",
        "title": "How the Planet-Altering Disaster of \"Forever Chemicals\" Was Kept Secret",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/how-the-planet-altering-disaster-of-forever-chemicals-was-kept-secret",
        "published": "2026-09-05T14:40:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}