472. This Is Your Brain on Pollution

472.这是你对污染的大脑

Freakonomics Radio

社会与文化

2021-08-12

46 分钟
PDF

单集简介 ...

Air pollution is estimated to cause 7 million deaths a year and cost the global economy nearly $3 trillion. But is the true cost even higher? Stephen Dubner explores the links between pollution and cognitive function, and enlists two fellow Freakonomics Radio Network hosts in a homegrown experiment.

单集文稿 ...

  • It's worse than cigarette smoking.

  • It's worse than wars.

  • It's worse than auto accidents.

  • Wow.

  • What's worse than wars and car crashes and smoking?

  • Here, I'll give you a hint.

  • Imagine you were getting ready to leave your house for work or school, maybe to go for a run.

  • There is some standard information that most of us seek out before leaving home.

  • There's this.

  • We've got partly sunny skies.

  • It's 85 south.

  • Wind's at 14.

  • And there's this.

  • We've got multiple accident, stalled vehicles causing major delays.

  • It makes sense to check the weather and traffic before leaving home.

  • But there's information we don't usually check that could be just as important, if not more so.

  • What if this is what you heard in the morning?

  • The level of particulate matter in the air today is above the recommended World Health Organization guidelines.

  • Or even this.

  • If your child has an important test today, or you're giving a big presentation at work, you might want to consider.