environmental science research for everyone
There has been a lot of controversy recently about a group of chemicals that are found, well, nearly everywhere: phthalates. Their ubiquitous presence in our environment combined with their toxic effects observed in lab animals, have fueled concerns that they might be negatively impacting our health. What does the research on humans show?
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Mercury is a troublesome pollutant in the environment and while we know a lot more about where sources are today, we don’t know as much about where sources were in the past and how high pollution levels were. Luckily, trees can help us to figure that out! Using traces of mercury pollution stored in tree rings, scientists try to see how mercury pollution levels have changed as we’ve become more industrialized.
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Experiencing nature has been linked to many mental health benefits, and now we know it can even lighten the mood on Twitter. Researchers have found that visits to urban greenspaces result in happier, less negative, and less self-absorbed tweets.
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Unhealthy foods are a major cause of several human diseases today. The harm caused by such foods to human health is well known. Recent research shows that some of the unhealthiest foods may also be the most damaging to the environment.
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No one doubts that breathing is essential for human life. But when the air you inhale is tainted with pollutants, that life-giving breath could have unintended, negative consequences for your health later in life. A new study explores whether there might be an association between long-term exposure to air pollution and the development of dementia.
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Ebola has transcended science and medicine to become a modern day term of panic. Though its effects on the body are well known, its effects on personal, familial, and societal activities like food are less clear. Emerging research shows the long-term and even permanent effects of this deadly disease on food and nutrition in Sierra Leone, one of the worst-hit areas during the 2013-2016 Ebola oubreak.
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Replacing fossil fuel electricity generation with renewable technologies has measurable benefits to human health and the climate. Researchers recently developed a simulation tool that reveals benefits are higher in certain regions of the US than others. Read more to see where deploying renewables would have the biggest impact!
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PFAS chemicals, nicknamed “forever chemicals” can be found in many places and can persist for a long time. What does science tell us about its effects on humans? A university in Australia conducted a large review to answer this question.
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Nuclear alarm bells rang loudly in 2017 when sensors all around Europe detected sudden increases of a potent radioactive substance in the air. There were no known nuclear-related incidents or accidents at the time. This is the story of how a multi-national team worked together to monitor, analyze, and finally pinpoint the source of this still-undeclared release of radioactive material.
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Climate change is scary. Michigan researchers are empowering their community to prepare for it by predicting how extreme heat and precipitation events may impact public health in the future. Policy makers can use these findings to protect the most vulnerable members of the community!
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