Air pollution, more deadly than we thought
- juliesmithaawl
- Oct 3, 2023
- 1 min read
Aljazeera reports today on the science confirming that air pollution causes antibiotic resistance and is linked to cancer
Air pollution is bad for the nose. It decreases out ability to smell, an indication that cognitive decline as occurred, and can also give us type 2 diabetes - yet another thing that can reduce our olfactory capacity.
Olfactory ability is now acknowledged by science as being a reliable indicator of overall human health, including how much longer you are likely to live. Dementia is the most common disease that smell tests identify because of how strongly the condition is linked to olfactory decline.
The quality of life we have left is even negatively impacted by pollution. Not being able to smell well makes us depressed and turns us off our food and mating/dating rituals.
Pollution from transport is regulated and there has been a reduction of this kind of pollution in some countries, but it is the particulate pollution from other sources, not yet regulated or impossible to regulate that needs more attention.
Studies from the last five years have show that synthetic chemicals from household products, including perfume, shampoos and cleaning products contribute more to pollution levels than all transport combined. It is probably worth considering very seriously how these things can be regulated. Making good individual consumer choices is going to help indoor pollution at home but the air we breathe elsewhere is not benefited by that.
More links on pollution and olfaction
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