Scientists make concerning discovery about health risks floating in air around us: 'Playing a previously unknown role'
Dust particles are not just an annoyance. A new study indicates that "dust particles thrown up from deserts such as the Sahara and Gobi are playing a previously unknown role in air pollution."
While aged dust particles from deserts were considered to be too big and dry to have a chemical reaction, they actually facilitate the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOA).
What's happening?
Published in National Science Review in a collaborative effort between China, the UK, Japan, and other nations, the study found that "around 50% of water-soluble secondary organic aerosols, primarily considered as SOA, are found in coarse (supermicron) dust particles."
This contradicts what scientists previously thought: that secondary organic aerosols are formed in water droplets or fine particles.
"This discovery marks a major advance in understanding the chemistry of secondary organic aerosols," co-lead author and University of Birmingham Professor Zongbo Shi said.
Shi added, "We've found that water-containing aged dust can act like a sponge and a reactor — absorbing gaseous pollutants and transforming them into particles that affect our health and the climate."
Researchers found that aged dust, which had reacted with nitric acid to form calcium nitrate, was able to absorb water even in low humidity — 8% humidity. Then, substances like glyoxal in its gas form can "dissolve, react, and form aqueous-phase secondary organic aerosol."
As a statement detailed, "They showed that these dust-driven reactions could account for up to two-thirds of total secondary organic aerosol in some of the world's dustiest regions, from North Africa to East Asia — orders of magnitude more than previous estimates."
Why is air pollution concerning?
With "air pollution from fine particles linked to millions of premature deaths annually and [contributing] to climate change," as the researchers observed, this discovery will help protect people's health because it will lead to the development of better pollution controls and improve forecasts.
Air pollution is also a concern for people who have cardiometabolic disease, as a new study found that they are more at risk for dementia and mild cognitive impairment.
Do you worry about companies drilling too deep into the ground?
Definitely
Depends on what it's for
Only if it's near my home
Not really
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
What's being done about air pollution?
Studies like this are crucial to understanding air pollution and combating the problem. Additional research on the topic is resulting in potential breakthroughs.
For example, a Sheffield University study found that mycorrhizal fungi convert air pollution into sugars, which plants intertwined with the fungi then feed on — one possible solution to air pollution.
Combating air pollution is complex; that's why it's vital to explore critical climate issues to discover ways to mitigate the problem.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Researchers put 3D-printed house to test on 50-ton shaking machine: 'These findings will be essential'
Researchers put 3D-printed house to test on 50-ton shaking machine: 'These findings will be essential' New sustainably constructed houses are being put to the test to see if they can withstand real-world weather conditions. A team of researchers from the University of Bristol has successfully mimicked the effects of an earthquake by placing 3D-printed concrete homes on a 50-ton shaking machine. They were testing their long-term durability, according to a press release, and monitoring any cracking, displacement, and potential failure points. 3D-printing commercial and residential structures has become "a rapidly emerging technology in the construction industry due to its potential to support rapid, resilient, affordable, and sustainable buildings," the press release said. And even though concrete is one of the most durable building materials, the new homes still need to undergo stress testing because they have unique properties and nontraditional geometries due to the 3D-printing process. "Insights from this study will help identify design parameters that optimise seismic performance, such as layer bonding strategies and reinforcement integration," said Dr. Raffaele De Risi, a lead researcher on the project, per the press release. "These findings will be essential for engineers, architects, and policymakers exploring the future of earthquake-resistant constructions." We are just beginning to see the future of construction with 3D printing, as the technology is likely to only improve and gain popularity. There's a need for quick and affordable housing all over the world, and automation like this makes it possible. People are already living in 3D-printed homes, choosing them because they're more cost-effective and eco-friendly than traditional builds and produce less waste. Some styles can even be built in just 24 hours. This efficiency means that they could be a solution for quickly generating housing in the aftermath of natural disasters, as well as emergency shelters and other needed infrastructure. "By testing the seismic resilience of 3D-printed concrete for the first time, we're not just exploring the future of construction — we're helping shape a safer, smarter, and more adaptive built environment," Dr. De Risi said. Would you trust a 3D-printed home in a natural disaster? Yes Depends on the disaster As much as traditional homes Nope Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why Eli Lilly (LLY) Stock Is Up Today
What Happened? Shares of global pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) jumped 3.2% in the afternoon session after the stock extended its positive momentum partly fueled by reports of major insider buying by top executives, including the CEO, which is often seen as a strong vote of confidence. Additionally, news that the company has signed a multi-billion dollar deal with an AI health tech company (Superluminal) to discover and develop new obesity medicines also contributed to the positive sentiment. Finally, the company's decision to increase the price of its popular diabetes and weight-loss drug Mounjaro in the UK, in response to US political pressure, was also seen as a positive for future revenue. After the initial pop the shares cooled down to $705.51, up 3.1% from previous close. Is now the time to buy Eli Lilly? Access our full analysis report here, it's free. What Is The Market Telling Us Eli Lilly's shares are not very volatile and have only had 9 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today's move indicates the market considers this news meaningful, although it might not be something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business. The previous big move we wrote about was 2 days ago when the stock gained 3.1% on the news that reports of significant insider buying by top executives, including the CEO, sent the stock rebounding from a recent selloff. The move came after regulatory filings on Tuesday revealed that several top executives, including CEO David Ricks, had purchased nearly $2.9 million worth of company stock. Ricks alone acquired over $1 million in shares, a move investors often interpret as a strong vote of confidence from leadership. This buying activity follows a significant selloff last week, where the stock dropped about 14% due to disappointing trial data for an oral obesity pill. The insider purchases are seen as a signal that management considers the stock undervalued after the recent decline and believes the market overreacted, providing a catalyst for Wednesday's rebound. Eli Lilly is down 9.3% since the beginning of the year, and at $705.51 per share, it is trading 26.5% below its 52-week high of $960.02 from August 2024. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Eli Lilly's shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $4,656. Today's young investors likely haven't read the timeless lessons in Gorilla Game: Picking Winners In High Technology because it was written more than 20 years ago when Microsoft and Apple were first establishing their supremacy. But if we apply the same principles, then enterprise software stocks leveraging their own generative AI capabilities may well be the Gorillas of the future. So, in that spirit, we are excited to present our Special Free Report on a profitable, fast-growing enterprise software stock that is already riding the automation wave and looking to catch the generative AI next. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Family's complaint to care home was ignored… days later their loved one suffered fatal fall
The tragic death of a vulnerable woman happened after a care home she was staying at ignored her family's concerns. The family of 73-year-old cancer sufferer Marion Jones checked her into a Greater Manchester care home for a respite stay earlier this year and made a complaint that bed rails were not fixed to her bed. Despite giving assurances that an assessment would be carried out, staff at Riverside Care Home in Hyde did not take any action. READ MORE: 'People don't see it as a real course - but we've turned down multiple job offers' READ MORE: Manchester mum on Cyprus holiday turns on fellow hotel guests Ms Jones fell from her bed on March 23 - three days after her family's complaint - and died 10 days later on April 2 as a result of traumatic brain injuries from her fall, as well as her Stage 4 lung cancer. Never miss a story with the MEN's daily Catch Up newsletter - get it in your inbox by signing up here Now, a coroner has said that the care home's failure to oblige to the family's wishes led to the fall that contributed to Ms Jones' death and has ordered the care home company Care UK to make changes to avoid further deaths in the future. Benjamin Myers, assistant coroner for Greater Manchester South, oversaw an inquest into Ms Jones' death. He said: 'The inquest heard that family members raised their concerns on admission of Marion Jones to Riverside when they saw there were no bed rails. 'They were assured that an assessment would take place. This did not happen: it should have done.' The coroner heard the medical cause of death was '1a traumatic brain injury, 1b fall, 1c squamous cell lung cancer with skin and brain metastases'. He added: 'Until January 2025, Marion Jones had led an active life. However, in January 2025, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer accompanied by a decline in her physical and mental condition. The cancer was inoperable and untreatable. 'The care was to be palliative within the community. After being cared for by her family, she went into respite care at Willow Woods hospice and from there to Riverside care home. 'Marion Jones was unstable in her movement and required the assistance of one or two carers for most physical activities, including getting in and out of bed. 'At Willow Wood, Marion Jones's bed had been fitted with bed rails. Prior to being admitted to Riverside, a pre-admission assessment was conducted by staff from Riverside. 'Although the relevant pre-admission form contains a section for assessment of safety equipment such as bed rails, no such assessment is recorded. 'Bed rails were not fitted to Marion Jones's bed at Riverside. Her family raised complaint about this on her admission to Riverside on 20th March 2025. 'They were assured that an assessment for bed rails would take place. No assessment did take place and on the 23rd March 2025 Marion Jones fell from her bed, which had not been fitted with rails. 'She landed on the floor, banging her head which caused visible injury, and which contributed to and hastened her physical and mental decline. 'The bed had been lowered but no crash mat had been put in place, contrary to the acknowledged requirement to do this. Had bed rails been in place this fall would not have happened.' Dave Ankers, Care UK's regional director for the North West, gave a statement to the Manchester Evening News saying on the day of Ms Jones' fall, key policies were not being followed. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE He said: 'Care UK is dedicated to ensuring residents receive kind and considerate person-centred care. 'On the day in question, key policies were not being followed and as a result, the care Mrs Jones received did not meet our expectations. We have learned from this sad incident and made a number of significant changes to ensure it is not repeated. This includes reviews and updates to training, policies, and recording sheets, which we will be sharing across all of our care homes. 'We will continue to address the points raised and are now in the process of responding to the report from HM Coroner.' The coroner has written to Andrew Knight, the Chief Executive of Care UK, asking for action to be taken in order to prevent further deaths in similar circumstances in the future. He said the inquest also heard that previous incidents had occurred where bed rails had not been in place.
