Wildfire smoke changes dramatically as it ages, and that matters for downwind air quality – here's what we learned flying through smoke plumes
Thousands of chemical compounds in wildfire smoke are interacting with each other and sunlight as the smoke travels. For people downwind, it can become more toxic over time.
Dec. 17, 2020 • ~8 min
Studies link COVID-19 deaths to air pollution, raising questions about EPA's 'acceptable risk'
Air pollution can weaken people's respiratory, immune and cardiovascular systems, leaving them more vulnerable when they get COVID-19.
Oct. 30, 2020 • ~7 min
Drive-throughs are busier than ever during the pandemic – but they're hotspots for air pollution
Staff and customers with underlying health conditions are likely to be most at risk at drive-through windows.
Oct. 16, 2020 • ~5 min
What's in wildfire smoke, and why is it so bad for your lungs?
Wildfires blanketing several Western cities are creating hazardous health conditions. Don't count on cloth masks to protect your lungs.
Aug. 20, 2020 • ~7 min
What's in that wildfire smoke, and why is it so bad for your lungs?
Wildfires blanketing several Western cities are creating hazardous health conditions. Don't count on cloth masks to protect your lungs.
Aug. 20, 2020 • ~7 min
Fine-particle air pollution has decreased across the US, but poor and minority communities are still the most polluted
A new study shows that while fine particle air pollution has declined nationwide over the past 40 years, the health and environmental benefits haven't been shared evenly.
July 30, 2020 • ~9 min
COVID-19 shutdowns are clearing the air, but pollution will return as economies reopen
From Nairobi to Los Angeles, pandemic lockdowns have cleared pollution from the skies. But those blue vistas may be temporary, and shutdowns aren't slowing climate change.
May 8, 2020 • ~8 min
EPA decides to reject the latest science, endanger public health and ignore the law by keeping an outdated fine particle air pollution standard
After a 5-year review, the EPA is leaving US standards for fine particle air pollution unchanged, even though recent studies suggest that tightening them could save thousands of lives yearly.
May 1, 2020 • ~9 min
Air pollution kills thousands of Americans every year – here's a low-cost strategy to reduce the toll
A new study takes an innovative approach to reducing fine particle air pollution and spotlights key sources: factories that burn coal and oil, petrochemical plants and burning wood for home heating.
Feb. 21, 2020 • ~9 min
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