What does “and counting” in “Bits of plastic in oceans: 5.25 trillion and counting” mean?

Question

Today’s (December 11) online New York Times carries an article dealing with the quantum increase of plastic material in the ocean under the headline, “Bits of plastic in oceans: 5.25 trillion and counting,” followed with the lead copy;

“New computer modeling suggests that plastic particles weighing almost 269,000 tons are floating in the world’s oceans.”

Though it may sound a very naïve question, how can I take the word, “and counting” here?

Does it mean 5.25 trillion bits of plastic is “being counted,” “still on increase,” “a serious matter,” or else?

English dictionaries at hand include too many definitions and usages of “count,” and I can’t judge which one of them is applicable to the above headline.

Answer 1

The phrase “and counting” was popularized by the old pre-launch countdowns of the U.S. space program; it meant that the number of minutes or seconds till launch was actively in process of decreasing. (If the countdown were stopped, the number of minutes or seconds remaining in the countdown would be followed by “and holding.”) In the case of oceanic trash, the number of items is said by this phrase to be in process of increasing.

Answer 2

In this case ...and counting means that the number is continually increasing with time.

Answer 3

It could easily be rewritten to say:

Bits of plastic in oceans: over 5.25 trillion and increasing

You can imagine it like:

We've counted 5.25 trillion and we're still counting.

Answer 4

Since every answer seems to use the word increasing, I'd suggest progressing as an alternative. As mentioned in the comments of Brian's answer, the phrase "and counting" could mean increasing or decreasing.

A quick google gives a definition from wiktionary: en.wiktionary.org/wiki/and_counting

Phrase
and counting

(idiomatic) used to show that the number previously mentioned is continuously changing, i.e. increasing or decreasing
This online dictionary has 100,000 articles — and counting.
Hurry up, the train leaves in three minutes. No, two minutes and counting!

The exact direction the number progresses/changes is derived from the context and should be obvious if the the idiom is used correctly.

That said, it's more common for it to mean increasing unless time is being counted.

Answer 5

A Google Books search finds two instances of "minutes and counting" (and "seconds and counting" from the same articles)—but nothing earlier. From "Countdown!" in Popular Mechanics Magazine (July 1958), describing the test launch of "a mighty Atlas" intercontinental ballistic missile:

With the new supply of oxygen delivered and the trucks safely out of the area the count resumes: "T minus 36 minutes and counting." Nearly two hours have been lost. Again liquid oxygen is pumped into the missile.

"T minus 10 minutes and counting."

The test conductor receives new reports on the weather, range instrumentation and range safety.

"T minus four minutes and counting."

A flow of water is started over the flame deflector to preserve it from the blast of the rocket engines.

...

"T minus 40 seconds and counting."

The level of liquid oxygen is checked and adjusted if necessary.

"T minus 35 seconds and counting."

Telemetering recorders are turned on.

"T minus 27 seconds and counting."

...

Automatic cameras around the stand begin operating.

"T minus 10 seconds and counting."

"Nine, eight, seven ..."

Another set of cameras starts.

"Six, five, four ..."

The vernier engines start.

"Three, two, on."

The last set of cameras starts.

"Zero."

Silence in the blockhouse is broken by the simultaneous cry of "mainstage" from the two periscope officers.

We have lift-off.

And from Aviation Week and Space Technology, volume 68 (1958), coverage of a similar countdown—or perhaps an independent account of the same one [combined snippets]:

• At T-minus-60 sec., test conductor announces "T minus 60 seconds and counting." Range safety command devices (engine cutoff and missile destruct explosives) armed.

• At T-minus-50 sec., pad safety officer reports the range is ready for firing.

• At T-minus-45 sec., test conductor makes these checks, panel operators respond. "Range safety armed light on— Roger." "Range ready— Roger." "Water system ready— Roger." "Preparation complete light— Green." "Liquid oxygen tanking secured— Roger."

...and so on. You can almost hear Slim Pickens (in Dr. Strangelove) intoning "one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics ..."

Anyway, it seems clear that Brian Donovan is correct in attributing the "and counting" catchphrase to the U.S. government's space and rocketry programs—although the phrase is slightly older than the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which Wikipedia says took over from the older National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) on October 1, 1958. It's also interesting that in its original form "and counting" meant "and counting down toward zero," whereas today the phrase frequently occurs in settings (such as the one in New York Times article) where the count is going up toward an indefinitely higher number.

Answer 6

I agree with other answers in this case: and counting typically indicates that the quantity is continuing to increase.

I'd also like to add that and counting can be used when the quantity being counted isn't changing at all, but is still in the process of being counted. In most such cases, it suggests that the quantity is too large or irregular in nature to make an accurate guess at the final count before counting has been completed.

It's actually possible that both meanings are implied in the garbage example. Not only is garbage constantly being generated, but it's also difficult to guess at exactly how much exists at any point in time by its nature.

Answer 7

Yeah, "... and counting" is an idiom indicating that the number/amount of whatever was being counted continues to increase steadily.

It may, as Brian Donovan suggests, come from the old space launch jargon: "T minus 6 minutes and counting." But it's also quite possible that the idiom existed before then.