Key findings:

• Air pollution impairs insects’ sense of smell by absorbing scent molecules, blocking receptors, and interfering with nerve signals. After only 12 hours of exposure, insects were less attracted to food smells.
• Exposure to microplastics impairs bees’ memory of scents from flowers, leading to fewer flower visits, less pollen transfer, and reduced seed and fruit production.
• Crops that rely on insect pollinators, such as apples, almonds, cocoa, and coffee, may yield less if pollinator populations decline or become less effective. This could disrupt food systems by reducing yields and farmers’ earnings, as well as the supply of pollinator-dependent products like honey.