As Canadian wildfire smoke continues to impact large swaths of the United States, resulting in poor air quality and negative health outcomes for millions of Americans, more people than ever are feeling the effects of longer fire seasons and a changing climate. Now, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered that wildfires may … Read more
In temperate climates, like North America and Europe, flu season starts in the fall, peaks in the winter and ends in the spring. While public health officials have generally assumed that influenza is also seasonal in tropical climates, new research led by Penn State has found little evidence of a repeatable pattern in influenza cases … Read more
Chronic exposure to fine particulate air pollutants (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) may increase non-lung cancer risk in older adults, according to a new study. In a cohort study of millions of Medicare beneficiaries, the researchers found that exposures to PM2.5 and NO2 over a 10-year period increased the risk of developing colorectal and prostate … Read more
Say goodbye to the swamp — for now. New Yorkers delighted in an “unusually” mild and crisp week of weather as humidity levels plunged well below the city’s muggy summer average, meteorologists said Thursday. The dew point, which measures humidity, dipped into the 40s and 50s between Monday and Thursday — making the city feel … Read more
The Gulf Stream system plays an important role in climate. The weakening of this system that has been observed over the last two decades is therefore a cause for concern and much debate. The question is whether the measurable changes are already due to human-induced climate change — model simulations predict such an influence with … Read more
A chemical process used in the browning of food to give it its distinct smell and taste is probably happening deep in the oceans, where it helped create the conditions necessary for life. Known as the Maillard reaction after the French scientist who discovered it, the process converts small molecules of organic carbon into bigger … Read more
The closure in January 2016 of one of Pittsburgh’s biggest coal-processing plants led to immediate and lasting declines in emissions of fossil fuel-related air pollutants. These in turn were linked to near-instant decreases in local heart-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases, a new study shows. The impact of the closure persisted through … Read more
A record string of daily highs over 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) in Phoenix ended Monday as the dangerous heat wave that suffocated the Southwest throughout July receded slightly with cooling monsoon rains. The historic heat began blasting the region in June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert. Phoenix and … Read more
A large natural experiment in Catalonia shows that moving to areas with higher levels of air pollution is associated with weight gain in young children. The study, led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by “la Caixa Foundation,” in collaboration with the IDIAP Jordi Gol, provides further evidence to support … Read more
Relief from extreme temperatures in the Northeast and New England is on the way with the arrival of a cold front expected to sweep across the region this week, but hot weather is expected to remain across the southern half of the US for at least the next several days. According to the FOX Forecast Center, an area of high pressure … Read more