air pollution

Smog is common not only in Los Angeles but also in cities across the country. New research finds that long-term exposure to high levels of air pollution may be as harmful to the lungs as smoking.

Health & Safety

Air Pollution May Be As Harmful To Your Lungs As Smoking Cigarettes, Study Finds

11:31pm August 13, 2019

by Allison Aubrey

Smog can spike during hot days. A new study finds that the effects of breathing air pollution may be cumulative. Long-term exposure may lead to lung disease, even among people who've never smoked.

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Rapid population growth in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, coupled with a household dependence on coal for heating and cooking has created perfect conditions for one of the most extreme cases of air pollution in the world.

Mongolia's Capital Banned Coal To Fix Its Pollution Problem. Will It Work?

3:10pm July 30, 2019

by Emily Kwong

Winter nights in Ulaanbaatar can drop to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Many residents without electricity burn coal to heat their homes, leading to toxic air and health problems.

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A stretch of the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, La., that is crowded with chemical plants has been called "Cancer Alley" because of the health problems there.

A Call For More Research On Cancer's Environmental Triggers

9:15am July 12, 2019

by Elaine Schattner

Scientists are making progress in identifying environmental hazards that contribute to cancer. Researchers say many cases could be avoided if the work is accelerated.

Morning traffic fills a freeway in Los Angeles. Seventeen automakers signed a letter to the Trump administration and California Gov. Gavin Newsom saying they want one set of policies to reduce greenhouse gases and make cars more fuel efficient.

Carmakers To White House: Work With California On Rules For Greenhouse Gases

9:29pm June 06, 2019

by Camila Domonoske

Seventeen automakers signed a letter to the Trump administration and California Gov. Gavin Newsom saying they want one set of policies to reduce greenhouse gases and make cars more fuel efficient.

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Well-kept parks, clean air and water, safe and friendly neighborhoods: these and many other factors outside our control contribute to health.

Health & Safety

'Well' Explores The Social And Political Underpinnings Of Health

5:01am June 04, 2019

by Stephanie O'Neill

In a new book, physician Sandro Galea calls for a change in how we talk about health in America. The real drivers of wellness, he argues, are not personal choice, but our history, policies and values.

An analysis of air quality and childhood asthma in Los Angeles found that kids' health improved when smog declined.

When LA's Air Got Better, Kids' Asthma Cases Dropped

5:02pm May 21, 2019

by Richard Harris

New cases of asthma dropped dramatically in Los Angeles communities where air quality improved the most over 20 years. The results illustrate health benefits from pollution control.

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An aerial view of a combine harvesting corn in a field near Jarrettsville, Md. A new study ties an estimated 4,300 premature deaths a year to the air pollution caused by corn production in the U.S.

Growing Corn Is A Major Contributor To Air Pollution, Study Finds

7:36pm April 01, 2019

by Jonathan Lambert

A study ties an estimated 4,300 premature deaths a year to the air pollution caused by corn production in the U.S. In some regions, the per-bushel health costs exceed the corn's market price.

Oily fish such as salmon, sardines and lake trout, as well as some plant sources such as walnuts and flaxseed, can be good, tasty sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Health & Safety

Eating Fish May Help City Kids With Asthma Breathe Better

7:55am March 30, 2019

by Allison Aubrey

A research team tracked the diets and exposures to air pollution of kids inside Baltimore homes. Children with diets high in omega-3 fatty acids seemed less vulnerable to pollution's effect on asthma.

Smog filled Utah's Salt Lake Valley in January 2017. Winter weather in the area often traps air pollution that is bad for public health.

EPA Science Panel Considering Guidelines That Upend Basic Air Pollution Science

9:06pm March 28, 2019

by Rebecca Hersher

Some panel members said they don't agree that breathing sooty air can cause premature death. The panel's draft recommendations to the EPA would change how it assesses the dangers of air pollution.

Thailand's Pollution Control Department declared air quality in the the Thai capital unhealthy, leading to the closure of 400 public schools through the end of the week.

Thai Officials Close Schools As Toxic Air Pollution Chokes Bangkok

9:02pm January 30, 2019

by Vanessa Romo

Fine particulate matter floating through the murky haze that hangs over the city has reached harmful levels, leading the government to shutter more than 400 public schools.