Wood burners produce 40% of the small particular air pollution in urban areas. Only about eight % of people use them, and virtually all of them have other sources of heating. A report this year found that it's cutting the lives short of billions of people by up to six years. But another form of pollution where there's still quite a lot of research on going into its health effects is microplastics. We've polluted the entire planet, and we don't really know what it does to people.
Cop26 may have dominated the headlines this year, but there have been lots of other fascinating, devastating and hopeful environment stories over the past 12 months. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Guardian environment editor Damian Carrington and biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston about some of their favourites, from reintroducing wild bison to the fields of Kent to climate crisis tipping points. Help support our independent journalism at
theguardian.com/sciencepod