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Chris Weidner: Climbing past the politics: the Iran I remember
Our first impression of Tehran was overwhelming. From the hillside beneath the Alborz Mountains we looked upon a sea of mostly white buildings — a metropolis home to more than 8 million people. Down there, thick pollution stung my eyes and …
CMOC Congo Mine Pollution Damaged Local Health, Report Says
Air pollution by the world’s biggest cobalt producer appears to have damaged the health of local communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to an investigation by environmental groups.
'It's a very unique biological specimen': The scientists using menstrual blood to diagnose diseases
From diagnosing endometriosis and cervical cancer to diabetes, vitamin D deficiency, and pollution exposure, here's what menstrual blood can reveal about your health.
LA is known for its beautiful sunlight. Scientists call it pollution
It’s Daylight Saving, that time of the year when we get more of that gorgeous L.A. light. To scientists, it’s a bit more complicated.
Trump Regulatory Czar Jeffrey Clark Leaves White House
Jeffrey B. Clark oversaw the dismantlement of government restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions and water and air pollution. He had also faced a criminal probe in connection with the 2020 election.
Carbon emissions now more than double the planetary boundary, analysis finds
Earth is not infinite. Pollution beyond certain levels threatens the climate and ecosystems. To prevent this, scientists have proposed planetary boundaries, defining the safe operating limits of the Earth ...
Researchers launch new climate health projects with Wellcome support | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvard Chan School researchers will begin new U.S. and India-based investigations into the health impacts of air pollution, heat, and climate change mitigation strategies, made possible by charitable foundation Wellcome.
Wildfire pollution linked to higher stroke risk
Ultra-processed diet and behavior, UnitedHealth's latest SEC filing, and other health news
Assessing the Impacts of Foreign Pollution on U.S. Public Health and Manufacturing
Foreign pollution carried by global winds harms U.S. air quality, public health, and manufacturing. This brief examines impacts and outlines policy solutions to address pollution at its source.
Pollution and mental health: current scientific evidence
This briefing discusses the evidence that is currently available on the associations between environmental pollution and mental health. It is based on a review of the scientific literature, and it supports the zero pollution action plan (ZPAP) and the European Union’s (EU’s) Eighth Environment Action Programme (8 th EAP). Related content can be found here: Climate change impacts on mental health in Europe ; Impact of air pollution on mental health (signal) .
U-M study finds noise pollution affects birds' reproduction and health
Of nine different behavioral or fitness-related responses in 160 bird species examined, noise pollution had negative impacts on eight of them.
Otsego Story Project website launches to capture area health concerns
The launch of a website focused on collecting Otsego area health stories amid concerns of long-term environmental pollution kicked off with an emotional start Friday night.
Without Weighing Costs to Public Health, EPA Rolls Back Air Pollution Standards for Coal Plants
The federal Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for coal and oil-fired power plants were strengthened during the Biden administration.
Former EPA Staff Detail Expanding Pollution Risks Under Trump
The Trump administration’s relentless rollback of public health and environmental protections has allowed widespread toxic exposures to flourish, warn experts who helped implement safeguards now under assault.
The campaigners who inspired Dirty Business drama
Ash Smith's campaign against pollution in Britain's waterways has been turned into a new Channel 4 series.
Dirty Business: The campaigners who inspired new Channel 4 show
Ash Smith's campaign against pollution in Britain's waterways has been turned into a new Channel 4 series.
Santiago de Chile Declaration launched to advance clean air and environmental justice in Latin America
The Santiago de Chile Declaration calls for urgent, coordinated action to reduce air pollution and advance environmental justice across Latin America and the Caribbean. Launched with support from World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization, the Declaration frames clean air as a human right and sets out concrete regional and national priorities to protect public health—especially for vulnerable communities.
NASA’s PACE Satellite Provides New Pollution Measuring Product
NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite, known for measuring tiny organisms in the ocean and particles in the atmosphere, has a new
Emissions from trucks and buses cost Australia $6.2bn in health effects each year, study finds
Research describes children exposed to air pollution equivalent to eight cigarettes a day by attending childcare near major roads
Scientists Suggest That Igniting Oil Spills to Create Fire Tornadoes Might Actually Be Good for the Oceans
A bold new experiment probed whether controlled fire tornadoes could be an effective tool for cleaning up oil spills.
Health and Climate Consequences of EPA’s Endangerment Finding Repeal ‘Cannot Be Overstated’
In short: the agency will no longer be able to regulate carbon pollution or greenhouse gases—though a couple of scenarios might prevent President Trump from getting his way.
EPA rollbacks on pollution limits could drive up health care costs, advocates warn
Trump climate health rollback likely to hit poor, minority areas hardest, experts say
The Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency overturned some pollution regulations.
USU's Science Unwrapped Explores Microplastic Pollution on Friday, Feb. 20
Akib Al Mahir and Liyuan (Joanna) Hou will be the featured speakers at a free, family friendly event, which begins at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center on the Logan campus.
The Link Between Air Pollution And Alzheimer's Is Now Clearer Than Ever
The air we breathe is harming us.
National Parks Conservation Association Joins Coalition Lawsuit to Stop Censorship of History, Science in Parks
Visitors deserve the full picture of history at America’s national parks, as well as key information about climate change, pollution, development, and other environmental threats to these iconic places.
Trump’s EPA decided climate change doesn’t endanger public health. Evidence says otherwise.
Extreme heat, severe weather and air pollution are proven to cause negative health impacts.
Durham lung transplant recipient fears health risks as EPA rolls back air pollution policies
The EPA has repealed a key climate finding and changed how it weighs pollution’s health impacts. Experts and patients say the shift could affect air quality and public health.
Microplastics have reached Antarctica’s only native insect
Even Antarctica’s toughest native insect can’t escape the reach of plastic pollution. Scientists have discovered that Belgica antarctica — a tiny, rice-sized midge and the southernmost insect on Earth — is already ingesting microplastics in the wild. While lab tests showed the hardy larvae can survive short-term exposure without obvious harm, those exposed to higher plastic levels had reduced fat reserves, hinting at hidden energy costs.
Why gas stoves could be No. 1 polluter for many Bay Area residents
A Stanford researcher replaced his own gas stove after monitoring pollution levels in his kitchen — and scientists say millions of Americans may face similar risks.
Heavy air pollution and cloudy skies: The dusty haze covering Israel carries possible health risks
The Health Ministry and the Environmental Protection Ministry both issued warnings, advising all to avoid strenuous outdoor activities and close any open windows.
U.S. EPA repeals landmark finding that underpins public health and climate regulations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized its unlawful repeal of the endangerment finding.
Bombshell emails show Trump admin knowningly put forward faulty science to deregulate pollution
Internal communications uncovered in a lawsuit by the Environment Defense Fund show Department of Energy personnel criticized the report.
Trump’s repeal of landmark climate ruling ‘un-American’ and ‘Orwellian’, says John Kerry
Former secretary of state condemns to decision revoke ruling that underpins ability to limit climate-heating pollution
Trump news at a glance: White House rejects climate science and opens door to more pollution
Administration revokes bedrock scientific determination that removes government’s ability to limit pollution from cars and trucks
Making science more visible
As he enters a laboratory with saltwater pools full of fish, Luka Žuvić explains how climate change is affecting the feeding ecology and reproductive biology of Atlantic bluefin tuna, and how the species is adapting.It is a topic that may seem remote to many people. But in a country where fishing and aquaculture are important to the economy and national identity, Žuvić’s research is at the intersection of science and society. “In Croatia, marine and environmental science are closely connected to people’s lives because fisheries, aquaculture, tourism and coastal development are a big part of our lives,” explains Žuvić, a doctoral student working at the Croatian Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in the Adriatic coastal city of Split. He also serves as one of Croatia’s ambassadors to Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a European Commission-funded project that aims to make scientific research more accessible, while inspiring young people to study the sciences. The project kicked off in Spilt on 20 January with a conference attended by partner institutions, community representatives, policymakers and scientists. Along with Split, Brest (in France) and Kiel (in Germany) will host a year of activities connecting scientists with the public.Žuvić, 31, is part of the Young Researchers' Career Development Project, a doctoral programme funded by the Croatian Science Foundation. His research on Atlantic bluefin tuna builds on a foundation-backed project focusing on the reproductive potential of farmed tuna, including their sexual maturation and spontaneous spawning in captivity, which has implications for the restoration of the Adriatic Sea's natural tuna populations. He also studies the tuna's feeding ecology through stomach-content analysis, using DNA metabarcoding and morphological approaches, and employs geometric morphometrics to improve the identification of juvenile tuna and related species. The research aims to enhance understanding of the tuna farming ecology, improve fish farm management and contribute to sustainable aquaculture and fisheries research.Engaging with local communitiesConnecting with the community is crucial for Žuvić’s research. Conversations with fishermen help him better understand the bluefin tuna's habits and how marine pollution affects the fish. “They are also curious about the biology and ecology of bluefin tuna,” he says of local fishermen, adding that sharing research with non-scientists benefits everyone. “Sometimes scientific research is invisible,” he explains. “That's why we as researchers need to go out from our institutions and labs to the public so that we can show them what we are working on. This helps create more trust in the scientists and their research.”Engaging the public also raises awareness about the anthropogenic changes to the marine environment resulting from human activities and pollution. Žuvić helps remove plastic and other rubbish from the Adriatic Sea that pose a direct threat to marine species. Predators, such as bluefin tuna, are especially vulnerable to ingesting waste churned up by fishing trawlers. “They are very opportunistic fish that follow trawlers and ingest everything,” he notes. To illustrate the impact, he has shown students the contents of bluefin tuna stomachs. “Finding a plastic bottle cap in the stomach of a bluefin tuna is concerning,” he says. "Science can be a powerful way to turn curiosity into practical solutions,” Žuvić adds, and sharing research outcomes “helps increase public awareness and improve understanding of human impacts on the marine environment.”The research also has implications for Croatia's economy. The Atlantic bluefin tuna’s rich, flavourful meat is highly valued for sushi and other raw fish dishes. However, overfishing nearly brought its population to collapse by the early 2000s. Although the species has made a comeback in the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions, catches continue to be managed through agreements with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. Croatia was a pioneer in developing commercial aquaculture as an alternative to open-sea fishing and accounts for about 10% of the EU’s farmed production of the bluefin tuna, with Japan being a key export market.A history of European collaborationCroatia has participated in Europe’s framework programmes for research and innovation since 2007, six years before officially joining the EU. Žuvić believes that EU funding and collaboration with other European researchers is vital for Croatian science. As part of the SCTT opening conference, the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, the University of Split and other local institutions were part of a science fair to showcase research on topics, such as robotics and an EU LIFE project on the protection of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean. “I hope that Science Comes to Town will help increase scientific literacy and curiosity among citizens, particularly students, and show that science is not something that is distant or abstract, but something that directly affects everyday life,” Žuvić concludes. “Ultimately, I hope that projects like it contribute to building a society that values knowledge and critical thinking, and that we can think about long-term sustainability using knowledge from science.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Help scientists document Midwest light pollution by looking at Orion
More people participating in the citizen science project Globe At Night could help fill gaps in what astronomers know about the extent of skyglow.
Scientists finally solve a 100-year-old mystery in the air we breathe
Scientists at the University of Warwick have cracked a long-standing problem in air pollution science: how to predict the movement of irregularly shaped nanoparticles as they drift through the air we breathe. These tiny particles — from soot and microplastics to viruses — are linked to serious health risks, yet most models still treat them as perfect spheres for simplicity. By reworking a century-old formula, researchers have created the first simple, accurate way to predict how particles of almost any shape behave.
An invisible chemical rain is falling across the planet
A new study reveals that chemicals used to replace ozone-damaging CFCs are now driving a surge in a persistent “forever chemical” worldwide. The pollutant, called trifluoroacetic acid, is falling out of the atmosphere into water, land, and ice, including in remote regions like the Arctic. Even as older chemicals are phased out, their long lifetimes mean pollution is still rising.
How the Trump Administration’s Embrace of Oil, Gas, and Chemical Industry Interests Will Endanger Children’s Health
The Trump administration’s actions to eliminate lifesaving environmental protections would allow corporate polluters to emit more toxins and chemicals, exposing more than 2 million kids to pollutants that increase the likelihood of lifelong health concerns—such as asthma, autism, ADHD, and cancer—while undercutting the administration’s own “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
How Two Teens in Niagara Falls Are Confronting Pollution and a Mental Health Crisis
Finding hope and resilience in a city burdened with environmental pollution and generational trauma.
EU reaffirms commitment to science-based multilateralism
Countries are meeting in Geneva for the first Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution plenary.
Help scientists document Midwest light pollution by looking at Orion
More people participating in the citizen science project Globe At Night could help fill gaps in what astronomers know about the extent of skyglow.
A Secret Panel to Question Climate Science Was Unlawful, Judge Rules
The researchers produced a report a that was central in a Trump administration effort to stop regulating climate pollution.
S.F. opens health clinic to tackle pollution in Bayview-Hunters Point — a long time coming
Fears of exposure to radiation from the Hunters Point Shipyard prompted the Department of Public Health to open the clinic.
Pollution control equipment breakdown reported at Clairton Coke Works, health officials say
The elevated readings did not exceed any 1-hour or 24-hour air quality standards, ACHD says.
Tlaib, health advocates sound alarm as EPA works to loosen pollution standard
Opponents of the EPA's actions join virtual press conference Tuesday.
How Climate Superfund Bills Use Science to Make Polluters Pay
This week, communities across the country are asking their state legislators for a common-sense solution—using a practice that's been around for decades—to make polluters pay. In 1980, following decades of high-profile disasters from toxic pollution, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmenta
Surfrider Kauaʻi to host Community Science for Clean Coastal Water event
The community water quality event will focus on understanding harmful pollution affecting Kauaʻi’s coastal waters and how community-led efforts are turning data into solutions.
The Cost of Ignoring Fossil Fuel Pollution’s Health Impacts
From our collaborating partner Living on Earth, public radio’s environmental news magazine, an interview by Steve Curwood with Dr. Vanessa Kerry at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Ever since the Six Cities study, led by Harvard University’s public health experts, first found in the 1990s that coal power plant smokestacks were […]
January 23, 2026
An epidemiology study finds that variations in one gene play a major role in determining the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Plus, X’s Grok AI is undressing users, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg with fake imagery online. What can we do about deepfakes? And, Louisiana communities continue collecting data on industrial pollution, despite a law restricting its use.
New wood-burning stoves to carry health warnings in UK plan
Pollution from wood burners kills thousands but proposed emissions limit would cut toxic particles by 9%
World enters 'era of global water bankruptcy': UN scientists formally define new post-crisis reality for billions
Amid chronic groundwater depletion, water overallocation, land and soil degradation, deforestation, and pollution, all compounded by global heating, a UN report today declared the dawn of an era of global ...
Scientists trace fertilizer microplastics from fields to beaches
Plastic-coated fertilizers used on farms are emerging as a major but hidden source of ocean microplastics. A new study found that only a tiny fraction reaches beaches through rivers, while direct drainage from fields to the sea sends far more plastic back onto shore. Once there, waves and tides briefly trap the particles on beaches before many vanish again. This helps explain why so much plastic pollution seems to disappear after reaching the ocean.
The Guardian view on microplastics research: questioning results is good for science, but has political consequences
Editorial: Errors in measuring microplastic pollution can be corrected. Public trust in science also needs to be shored up
These 5 health conditions cause the most deaths
Three out of four deaths worldwide are caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and 80% of those deaths are caused by just five conditions. Heart disease is the biggest killer, followed by cancer, respiratory diseases and diabetes. Not only do these conditions cause tens of millions of deaths a year, they also carry a staggering economic cost. The good news is they are largely avoidable. Five major risk factors significantly ramp up your chances of contracting an NCD, from air pollution to a poor diet, and 80% of NCDs could be prevented with the right interventions. A new paper from the World Economic Forum and the Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience (PHSSR) sets out recommendations for policy-makers to help boost their NCD prevention efforts.
Microplastics are undermining the ocean’s power to absorb carbon
Tiny plastic particles drifting through the oceans may be quietly weakening one of Earth’s most powerful climate defenses. New research suggests microplastics are disrupting marine life that helps oceans absorb carbon dioxide, while also releasing greenhouse gases as they break down. By interfering with plankton, microbes, and natural carbon cycles, these pollutants reduce the ocean’s ability to regulate global temperatures.
EPA to stop calculating deaths avoided and health care savings from air pollution rules
The change means the EPA will focus rules for two pollutants only on the cost to industry, part of a realignment under President Trump toward a business-friendly approach.
EPA says it will stop calculating the economic savings to health in key air pollution rules
The Environmental Protection Agency says it will stop calculating the economic savings of health benefits from air pollution rules
The EPA is changing how it considers the costs and benefits of air pollution rules
The EPA won't consider the economic costs of harms to human health, at least for now. Legal and health experts are concerned that the change could make it easier for the agency to roll back rules.
Trump’s EPA could limit its own ability to use new science to strengthen air pollution rules
President Trump’s EPA is reconsidering whether it had the legal authority to update its rules for ethylene oxide emissions
EPA says it will no longer consider health costs in pollution regulations
The EPA weakened emissions standards for new power plants and said it would no longer consider the economic impacts of public health in rule making.
Florida lawmaker is back with bill promoting water pollution
'This bill doesn’t make any sense.'
Trump’s EPA Could Limit Its Own Ability to Use New Science to Strengthen Air Pollution Rules
In government records that have flown under the radar, the EPA is questioning its legal authority to revise pollution rules more than once when new science shows unacceptable health risks.
Texas clears the way for petrochemical expansion as experts warn of health risks
Public Health Watch chronicles, in 13 scenes, a fossil-fuel infrastructure boom that could worsen air pollution in some areas and exacerbate climate change.
Texas clears the way for petrochemical expansion as experts warn of health risks
Public Health Watch chronicles, in 13 scenes, a fossil-fuel infrastructure boom that could worsen air pollution in some areas and exacerbate climate change.
Bringing marine microbiome research into the classroom is an essential step toward a climate literate society
npj Climate Action - Recognizing the ecological roles of microorganisms as drivers of marine biogeochemical cycles and how they are influenced by seawater pollution, warming, and acidification is...
Wildfire Smoke May Be Far More Dangerous Than Scientists Thought
Wildfire smoke may be packing a much bigger pollution punch than anyone realized.
New technology eliminates “forever chemicals” with record-breaking speed and efficiency
A new eco-friendly technology can capture and destroy PFAS, the dangerous “forever chemicals” found worldwide in water. The material works hundreds to thousands of times faster and more efficiently than current filters, even in river water, tap water, and wastewater. After trapping the chemicals, the system safely breaks them down and refreshes itself for reuse. It’s a rare one-two punch against pollution: fast cleanup and sustainable destruction.
Protecting California’s public lands from oil and gas drilling is defending public health
Federal plans for oil drilling along a million acres in California would change healthful, wild spaces into sources of pollution and illness.
Top science stories of 2025
In a year of funding chaos, ongoing climate change and pollution perils, we also saw the most powerful telescope yet, personalized gene therapy, and the next-best-thing to an HIV vaccine — not to mention a brand-new color
Water pollution puts Floridians at risk of severe health problems
Chemicals foul wells used for drinking water and fuel harmful algae that can make people sick, a Times investigation shows.
Household air pollution
WHO fact sheet on indoor air pollution: includes key facts, definition, impact on health, impact on health equity, WHO response.
WHO highlights health risks and opportunities in the global waste crisis
A new World Health Organization (WHO) report, Throwing away our health: the impacts of solid waste on human health – evidence, knowledge gaps and health sector responses, warns that poorly managed solid waste is driving a public health crisis and calls for urgent action to protect people and the environments they live in.Globally, the volume of municipal solid waste is growing at an unprecedented rate. Yet, many countries still lack the systems and resources to manage this waste safely. “Solid waste reflects how our societies produce and consume, and how we treat people and the environment in the process,” said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director a.i., Department of Environment, Climate Change, One Health & Migration at the World Health Organization. “If we continue to treat waste as an afterthought, we will lock in avoidable disease, climate pollution and deep social inequities. This report is a clear call to put health and equity at the centre of how we design, manage and ultimately reduce waste.”The report summarizes evidence on how solid waste – especially municipal solid waste – affects health through polluted air, water, soil and food. When waste is not collected, or is dumped, burned or not poorly treated, it can release hazardous chemicals, contaminate drinking-water sources and create breeding grounds for insects and rodents.Communities underserved by waste management services, those living near dumpsites and poorly managed landfills and incinerators, children and pregnant women, as well as waste workers – particularly those working informally – face the greatest risks. For the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) community, the report underlines that safe management of municipal and health care waste is integral to safely managed, climate-resilient systems.A large share of municipal solid waste is still not collected or is disposed of in uncontrolled conditions, including open dumpsites and open burning. These practices damage ecosystems, contribute to climate change and undermine efforts to build healthy cities. When waste is properly managed, however, it can become a resource – generating energy and creating green jobs. The report calls for a coordinated, multisectoral response grounded in the waste hierarchy: preventing waste where possible, then reducing, reusing and recycling, with safe recovery and disposal.Key actions for governments and partners include reducing waste generation at source; expanding affordable and reliable waste collection services, especially in underserved communities; improving control at recovery and disposal facilities; and eliminating open dumping and burning, including hazardous waste. The new report identifies a central role for the health sector in addressing solid waste as a public health threat. The health sector can prevent and minimize health-care waste at source, improve segregation and safe treatment, invest in cleaner climate-resilient technologies, and advocate for health-protective policies and standards. The report also encourages more surveillance, research and biomonitoring to strengthen the evidence base, and promotes social protection and inclusion of informal waste workers.“This report gives countries and health authorities a very practical agenda,” said Mr Bruce Gordon, Head, Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health Unit, WHO. “Health ministries can start now by ensuring safe management of health-care waste, developing strong occupational health programmes for waste workers, and working with municipalities to reduce health risks from solid waste by closing open dumps and burn sites and gradually improving towards safe services. These concrete steps save lives today and will make cities cleaner and healthier in the future.
Air Pollution Undermines Health Benefits Of Exercise, Evidence Says
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterMONDAY, Dec. 8, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Air pollution can undermine some of the health benefits active folks expect to derive from regular exercise, a new study says. The protective effect exercise should have on people’s risk of death was cut by half among those ...
Bulgaria: Delayed Coal Phaseout Fuels Health Harm
Bulgaria’s delayed decommissioning of coal-fired power plants contributes to dangerous air pollution, risks breaching new air quality standards, and is slowing down the country’s transition away from fossil fuels.