Human Health

A study by scientists at the Columbia University Climate School has found that the weather conditions driven by climate change that are increasing the occurrence of wildfires are playing a growing role in shaping summer air quality in both the United States and Canada. And the news isn’t good. The air is getting smokier and the impact on public health is not something that can be addressed by regulatory action, as was the case for fossil fuel pollution.

In January 2025, two large wildfires burned through large areas of greater Los Angeles damaging or destroying more than 18,000 buildings and directly causing the death of 31 people. A study by public health researchers attributed another 409 deaths to factors associated with the fires. While the fires burned, air quality in Los Angeles was terrible. Researchers from UCLA’s School of Public Health collected air samples both indoors and out during and after the fires.

Plastic pollution remains one of the world’s most challenging environmental problems. Plastic pollution has been found everywhere on Earth, from the highest mountain peaks to the deepest parts of the ocean. And scientists are finding that plastic is also moving through the air we breathe.

We are all aware of the dangers of second-hand smoke. It is why smoking is not allowed in almost all public spaces. But a new study has revealed a persistent and evolving threat to indoor air quality known as third-hand smoke.

In healthy ecosystems, mosquitoes feed on a wide range of animals, including birds, amphibians, and mammals. But when those ecosystems lose species, mosquitoes are left with fewer choices. New research suggests that in some places where biodiversity is shrinking, humans are becoming the preferred target.