California's Salton Sea used to be a vacation hotspot in the mid-1900s with its sandy beaches and celebrity visitors. But decades of water mismanagement have turned this 340-square-mile lake into a drying disaster zone. As water disappears, it leaves behind a toxic mix of old pesticides, heavy metal
Cities everywhere have a hidden problem—tiny bits of pollution so small they slip past most filters. These specks, called ultrafine particles, are smaller than a speck of dust and can travel deep into your body. Unlike bigger pollution particles that get studied a lot, these are often ignored becaus
Air quality today is a different beast than it was decades ago. While the government has cut back on lead and sulfur dioxide, new dangers have taken center stage: tiny particles from factories, cars and power plants; ozone that forms under the sun; and smoke that travels far beyond its source. The
Big cities often promise excitement, but they also bring dirty air. Now a large study in the UK is asking if breathing that air for years might harm the nerves in our bodies. Scientists tracked thousands of adults over time to see whether heavy exposure to tiny floating particles and gases from traf
A recent series of air attacks on oil storage sites in Iran triggered a strange weather event that left the capital drenched in dark, sooty rain. Normally, rainfall clears air pollutants, but this time the drops carried a heavy mix of soot and carbon particles that settled on buildings and streets.
East Asian cities are breathing in more than just the night air. Smog, dust, and fumes from factories, traffic and coal plants mix into a harmful cocktail that harms every part of the body. Studies show people in these regions are more likely to suffer from heart attacks, asthma, and even brai
Maine's air quality is in trouble. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided to undo a key rule that limits greenhouse gas emissions. This rule was put in place in 2009 to protect public health. Now, with this rule gone, Maine might see more pollution coming from other states. Maine alr
Life in a bustling city like Hanoi is full of energy, culture, and amazing food. But from October to March, the air quality takes a hit. The Air Quality Index (AQI) often soars, making it hard to breathe without a mask. On rare days when the AQI dips below 100, it feels like a gift. The air might st
Agartala, in Northeast India, faced a serious air quality issue during Diwali. The problem was studied over three years, from 2018 to 2020. Researchers checked the air for five days around Diwali. They started two days before, looked at the day of Diwali, and then two days after. The air got much w
Wildfire smoke might be doing more harm than we thought. New research shows that when pregnant women breathe in this smoke, their kids might have a higher chance of having autism. The study looked at over 200, 000 births in Southern California. It found that the risk was highest when moms were expos
