You've heard about PFS chemicals, the so-called forever chemicals.

But just how did they come to be, well, everywhere?

We're finding P-FAS in every blood sample in every blood bank.

In fact, you have to go back to the Korean War to find blood that didn't have it.

It's Tuesday, December 17th, and you're listening to Science Friday.

I'm SciFri producer Charles Berkwist. A bit later this episode, we'll hear about connections between computers, pregnancy, and mushrooms. But first, a dive into the history of PFAS chemicals

in New Jersey. It all starts with Teflon, the stuff on the history of PFAS chemicals in New Jersey.

It all starts with Teflon, the stuff on the original nonstick pan.

Here's Cy-FRIZ, Kathleen Davis.

And now it's time to check in on the state of science.

This is KERNO, St. Louis Public Radio, KKMD News.

Local science stories of national significance.

We've talked a lot on this program about the problem of PFS chemicals, the so-called forever chemicals that are just about in everything in our environment.

And we often say something like used in nonstick coatings, flame retardants,

and stain repellents. But all that traces its history back to the accidental invention of one

substance, Teflon. Joining me now is Jordan Goss Peret, creator and host of the Hazard NJ

podcast. The new season looks at the history of PFS and their role

in New Jersey. Jordan, welcome back to Science Friday. Thank you for having me, Kathleen,

and I appreciate it. So remind us again of what PFAS chemicals actually are. Yeah, and it's interesting

that you say PFS because I usually pronounce it PFS, but then when I was recording episode one, I said PFAS, so I've had to keep it that way throughout the entire season.

They're a class of thousands of chemicals. So it's not just one, two, three, four, five. There are thousands. And the big kicker about these chemicals, though, is that the ones that we at least know about

and the ones that we have research and that we've studied have been linked to numerous health

...