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472. This Is Your Brain on Pollution

Freakonomics Radio

CHAPTER

The Cognitive Costs of Air Pollution

This chapter examines how air pollution, specifically particulate matter, affects cognitive function and overall human health. It highlights alarming statistics about global exposure to polluted air and the resultant decline in life expectancy, while also discussing historical and economic implications. The narrative uses case studies like the peppered moth to illustrate environmental adaptations and the socio-economic repercussions of air quality on populations.

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