Pop Quiz 2025! Test your science and policy knowledge

~ PRHE

Welcome to our 4th annual year-in-review quiz!

Test your knowledge of PRHE’s research, policy happenings, and science successes from the past year. At the same time, you can get a preview of what to watch in the new year and the latest news from the EaRTH Center and the Center to End Corporate Harm.

Here we go!

 

Question #1

The chemical industry is trying to weaken the main law that tries to protect people from toxic chemicals. What is the industry trying to achieve?

  1. Remove the ability of states to regulate harmful chemicals
  2. Expedite the number of new chemicals EPA will approve
  3. Restrict the science used to determine chemical risks
  4. Seek exemptions to federal rules that reduce toxic emissions
  5. All of the above

Unfortunately, all are correct.
The American Chemistry Council, the main lobbying arm of the chemical industry, has made no secret of its goal to weaken the Toxic Substances Control Act. And Congress should not allow the chemical lobby to rewrite the law.

For more about what the industry is trying to do, read: Industry sent their wish list to the new administration. What’s in it will make people sick. More information can be found in this AP article.

 

Question #2

Science and scientists have faced an onslaught of attacks from the Trump administration this year. How has the administration attacked science at EPA?

  1. Firing scientists
  2. Essentially shutting down the Office of Research and Development, EPA’s science arm
  3. Ignoring science that shows health risks in chemical risk evaluations
  4. Refusing to eliminate industry influence as part of its so-called scientific integrity policy
  5. All of the above 

Again, all are correct.
Learn more about how the current administration is making America more toxic and how PRHE has been on the frontlines to defend science and protect health here: 10 ways the Trump administration is “making America toxic again”.

For further analysis, read this article by the Society of Environmental Journalists.

 

Question #3

Speaking of defending science, Dr. Tracey Woodruff has testified before Congress three times in 2025 about the importance of protecting health as part of chemical policy. Which quote is from her testimony?

  1. “Seriously, what are you people thinking?”
  2. “To be clear, eliminating the science will not make the toxicity and harm go away. It will be quite the opposite as we will have no science to identify and mitigate toxic harms.”
  3. “If you ignore or remove the science from the chemical risk evaluation process, you will be doing exactly what the chemical industry wants.”
  4. “Do you people like to drink clean water? Because it really seems like you don’t.”

The correct answer is b (although the remaining options are things Tracey was definitely thinking). Read her testimony from the Hill hearings:

Question #4

The PRHE team helped to launch the new Center to End Corporate Harm this year. Which health-harming industries is the center focused on?

  1. Cosmetics
  2. Cleaning supplies
  3. Chemicals
  4. Ultra processed food

The correct answers are “c” and “d,” chemicals and ultra processed foods.
The center is also working on tobacco, plastics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and conflicts of interest. Stay tuned for some exciting announcements in 2026!

Read about the center: Holding industry to account for health harms

 

Question #5

The new administration released two Make America Health Again (MAHA) reports this year. While PRHE welcomed that the Commission’s reports acknowledged the harm toxic chemicals have on children’s health, we raised concerns about what was missing. What problems impacting children’s health were missing from the reports?

  1. Climate change
  2. Fossil fuels
  3. Poverty
  4. All of the above

All of the above is correct.
The MAHA reports had glaring oversights related to some of the largest impacts on children’s health, such as the health harms from fossil fuels. The second MAHA report, which was dubbed a strategy to provide “new solutions that will end childhood chronic disease,” offered no solutions to address these issues and even removed mention of harmful pesticides altogether.

Read our full statement: MAHA plan fails to recommend real solutions to rising chronic disease

 

Question #6

Despite major cutbacks in federal research funding, our EaRTH Center’s renewal was awarded after some delay. How much is the award?

  1. One million dollars over two years
  2. Two million dollars over three years
  3. Four million dollars over four years
  4. Five million dollars over five years

The correct answer is “d.”
We are thrilled that the EaRTH Center has received its renewal and are busy supporting research that examines the environmental impacts on health. EaRTH is one of 23 NIEHS-supported P30 centers from 18 states that gathered in October to share our latest research and best practices.

Learn more about EaRTH and EaRTH-supported research:

 

Question #7

The current administration delayed an EPA rule to better protect people from TCE, a cancer-causing chemical that has also been linked to Parkinson’s disease. PRHE worked with veterans who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s to call on EPA to protect people from TCE. What are the rates of Parkinson’s among veterans compared to the general population?

  1. Veterans have 2x the rate as non-veterans
  2. Veterans have 4x the rate as non-veterans
  3. Veterans have 10x the rate as non-veterans
  4. Veterans have a lower rate of Parkinson’s than the general population

The correct answer is “c.”
Learn more about TCE and how military members and their families have been particularly exposed: The chemical industry wants to block a new EPA rule protecting people from cancer-causing TCE – and Congress may help them

 

Question #8

PRHE conducts a broad range of research into the impacts of pollutants and chemicals on health, pregnancy, and child development. One of several studies we released this year was on the health impacts of chemical dyes called aromatic amines found in clothing. What health condition does aromatic amines increase the risk of?

  1. Asthma
  2. Gestational diabetes
  3. Headaches
  4. Preterm birth

The correct answer is “b.”
Lead author Emily Lasher and team found that exposure to aromatic amines, chemicals found in clothing, cosmetics, plastics and pesticides, were linked to an increased risk of gestational diabetes.

Learn more about the study findings: Exposure to chemical dyes in clothing increases risk of gestational diabetes

 

Question #9

The health impacts of plastics and microplastics remains a hot topic this year. What are some of the best ways to protect yourself from microplastics?

  1. Do not microwave food or drinks in plastic
  2. Do not drink water in plastic bottles
  3. Store food in glass containers
  4. Support policies that reduce plastic production
  5. All of the above

All of the above is correct. Check out some of our recent media coverage on microplastics:

 

Question #10

PRHE’s Science & Policy team was busy again this year producing and submitting public comments to hold EPA accountable to protect health. In several of these public comments, PRHE’s team did its own calculations, and the math is frightening. By how much did PRHE discover that the risk of reproductive harm from long-term exposure to toxic DCHP exceeds EPA’s benchmark for cancer risk?

  1. 10x
  2. 250x
  3. 10,000x
  4. 50,000x

The correct answer is “d” – a whopping 50,000x higher than what EPA considers acceptable for cancer risk. Read more about these calculations and some of our other public comments:

 

Question #11

The Poison Papers collection was added to the UCSF Industry Documents Library this year. What are the papers about?

  1. Legal papers from the Johnson & Johnson talc lawsuits
  2. A history of poisonous mushrooms
  3. Internal military documents about Agent Orange
  4. Papers gathered by Carol Van Strum from her battles to stop aerial spraying of highly toxic chemicals in the forest where she lived.

The correct answer is “d.”
Carol Van Strum collected over 100,000 documents from her battles with Dow, Monsanto, EPA, National Forestry Service, and others over PCBs, dioxin, and the aerial spraying of the toxic herbicide 2,4,5-T in the forest where she lived. PRHE helped to secure the collection for the Industry Documents Library.

 

 

Question #12

A new review supported by the EaRTH Center examines how climate change impacts reproductive health. Which pregnancy-related health conditions are on the rise due to climate change?

  1. Preterm birth
  2. Miscarriage
  3. Maternal mortality
  4. Infertility
  5. All of the above

The correct answer is “e.”
Lead author and EaRTH scholar Anna Claire Fernández and senior author Linda Giudice led the team that developed this paper, published in November in PubMed: https://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/46/6/908/8221662

 

Question #13

Fossil fuel-driven climate change is making wildfires more common. PRHE conducted multiple studies on how wildfire smoke impacts pregnancy. Which health conditions does wildfire smoke exposure increase the risk for? Select all that apply.

  1. Low birthweight
  2. Preterm birth
  3. Gestational diabetes
  4. Placenta previa

The correct answer is “b” and maybe “c” also.
Wildfires not only spread particulate matter 2.5, which is linked to a host of health problems, but can also increase exposures to a host of other harmful chemicals. Read some of our studies here:

 

Question #14

One of the biggest honors in science is being elected to the National Academy of Medicine. Who was elected to the Academy from UCSF in 2025?

  1. Albert Einstein
  2. Christine Dehlendorf
  3. Oz
  4. Tracey Woodruff

“b” and “d” are correct.
If you guessed c, deduct five points from your score. Congratulations to Drs. Dehlendorf and Woodruff!

Read more about it in UCSF Campus News.

 

 

 

Question #15

What are the best ways to support PRHE’s work?

  1. Sign our public comments calling on EPA to do a better job protecting people from harmful chemicals
  2. Send us an email telling us how much you love our work
  3. Connect us with foundations and other funders that want to protect health and the environment
  4. Donate today

You can’t get this one wrong, and we appreciate your support.

 

Question #16

Did you have fun taking this survey?

  1. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t still be reading
  2. Depends on your definition of “fun”
  3. Looks like your comms team might need a vacation
  4. I need to get a life

Only you know the correct answer to this one, but we hope you had as much fun taking this quiz as we had preparing it.

Thank you to our staff, collaborators, partners, and funders who make PRHE’s work possible. We wish you peace and kindness in the New Year.

Published by PRHE

PRHE’s mission is to create a healthier environment for human reproduction and development through advancing scientific inquiry, clinical care and health policies that prevent exposures to harmful chemicals in our environment.