Homes that survived the Boulder County fire hid another disaster inside – we turned them into labs to study this urban wildfire health risk

When the Marshall Fire swept through the Boulder suburbs a year ago, scientists began studying the health effects. What they’re learning could help homeowners elsewhere in the future.

Michael Hannigan, Professor, University of Colorado Boulder • conversation
Dec. 26, 2022 ~10 min

Air quality in your home may be worse than in your office

New research highlights the importance of improving air quality in homes for employees who continue to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rae Lynn Mitchell-Texas A&M • futurity
Feb. 11, 2022 ~5 min


Plastic pipes are polluting drinking water systems after wildfires - it's a risk in urban fires, too

A new study shows how toxic chemicals like benzene are leaching into water systems after nearby fires. The pipes don't have to burn – they just have to heat up.

Kristofer P. Isaacson, Ph.D. Student, Purdue University • conversation
Dec. 14, 2020 ~9 min

Smokers carry scary compounds on their skin and clothes

Cigarette smokers bring dangerous compounds into non-smoking environments on their skin and clothes, researchers report.

Fred Mamoun-Yale • futurity
March 5, 2020 ~5 min

Some kinds of emissions cuts actually make air pollution worse

Despite the benefites in dealing with air pollution, cuts in NOx emissions can lead to a boom in hazardous ultrafine particles, researchers say.

Maria Hornbek-Copenhagen • futurity
Jan. 21, 2020 ~4 min

Douching tied to more volatile organic compound in blood

New research looks at correlations between douching and the use of products like tampons and pads to concentrations of volatile organic compounds in the blood.

Nardy Baeza Bickel-Michigan • futurity
Oct. 18, 2019 ~3 min

You’re polluting your office just by existing

An office rigged with thousands of sensors shows that we may be the source of many of the volatile organic compounds in our offices.

Kayla Wiles-Purdue • futurity
Oct. 4, 2019 ~4 min

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