Kids born in 2020 worldwide will experience twice the number of wildfires during their lifetimes compared with those born in 1960. In California and other western states, frequent wildfires have become as much a part of summer and fall as popsicles and Halloween candy.
Wildfires produce fine particulate matter, or PM₂.₅, that chokes the air and penetrates deep into lungs. Researchers know that short-term exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅ increases acute care visits for cardiorespiratory problems such as asthma. However, the long-term effects of repeated exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅ on chronic health conditions are unclear.
One reason is that scientists have not decided how best to measure this type of intermittent yet ongoing exposure. Environmental epidemiologists and health scientists like us usually summarize long-term exposure to total PM₂.₅ – which comes from power plants, industry and transportation – as average exposure over a year. This might not make sense when measuring exposure to wildfire. Unlike traffic-related air pollution, for example, levels of wildfire PM₂.₅ vary a lot throughout the year.
To improve health and equity research, our team has developed five metrics that better capture long-term exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅.
Measuring fluctuating wildfire PM₂.₅
To understand why current measurements of wildfire PM₂.₅ aren’t adequately capturing an individual’s long-term exposure, we need to delve into the concept of averages.
Say the mean level of PM₂.₅ over a year was 1 microgram per cubic meter. A person could experience that exposure as 1 microgram per cubic meter every day for 365 days, or as 365 micrograms per cubic meter on a single day.
While these two scenarios result in the same average exposure over a year, they might have very different biological effects. The body might be able to fend off damage from exposure to 1 microgram per cubic meter each day, but be overwhelmed by a huge, single dose of 365 micrograms per cubic meter.
For example, a census tract close to the 2018 Camp Fire experienced an average wildfire PM₂.₅ concentration of 1.2 micrograms per cubic meter between 2006 to 2020. But the actual fire event had a peak exposure of 310 micrograms per cubic meter – the world’s highest level that day.
Kids born in 2020 worldwide will experience twice the number of wildfires during their lifetimes compared with those born in 1960. In California and other western states, frequent wildfires have become as much a part of summer and fall as popsicles and Halloween candy.
Wildfires produce fine particulate matter, or PM₂.₅, that chokes the air and penetrates deep into lungs. Researchers know that short-term exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅ increases acute care visits for cardiorespiratory problems such as asthma. However, the long-term effects of repeated exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅ on chronic health conditions are unclear.
One reason is that scientists have not decided how best to measure this type of intermittent yet ongoing exposure. Environmental epidemiologists and health scientists like us usually summarize long-term exposure to total PM₂.₅ – which comes from power plants, industry and transportation – as average exposure over a year. This might not make sense when measuring exposure to wildfire. Unlike traffic-related air pollution, for example, levels of wildfire PM₂.₅ vary a lot throughout the year.
To improve health and equity research, our team has developed five metrics that better capture long-term exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅.
The latest trial over claims that the discontinued heartburn drug Zantac causes cancer ended with a hung jury on Wednesday, as jurors in Chicago were unable to agree on
A team of researchers at the University of Helsinki has uncovered a link between wealth and an increased genetic risk of developing breast cancer, prostate cancer, and certain other cancers when compared to those from underprivileged backgrounds. The extensive study delved into the connection between socioeconomic factors and disease risks by meticulously analyzing data gathered from a about 280,000 Finnish individuals aged 35 to 80. The research findings revealed a stark contrast: while affluent individuals exhibited a heightened genetic predisposition to cancers such as breast and prostate, those facing financial hardship were found to be more genetically susceptible to conditions
Instagram has taken a major step towards addressing teen safety concerns with the introduction of Instagram Teen Accounts on September 17, 2024. This new feature is designed to automatically place teens in safer online environments and provide parents with greater peace of mind about their children’s Instagram experiences. Teen Accounts come with a suite of built-in protections, including private accounts by default, stricter messaging settings, and enhanced content filtering to limit exposure to potentially harmful material. The launch of Teen Accounts represents a significant shift in how the platform approaches youth safety, responding to longstanding concerns about the risks teens
U.S. telehealth company Hims & Hers Health on Wednesday said it will sell compounded versions of Novo Nordisk's popular weight-loss drug Wegovy to patients in