Air quality, as a phenomenon, refers to the physicochemical state of the atmosphere with respect to the presence, concentration, and reactivity of gaseous and particulate constituents, including criteria pollutants (e.g., ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter) and numerous hazardous air pollutants. It emerges from dynamic interactions among emission sources, atmospheric transport, dispersion, chemical transformation, and removal processes such as deposition and scavenging. Quantification of air quality relies on continuous or episodic monitoring, expressed through pollutant concentrations and composite indices, and is central to studying atmospheric chemistry, exposure assessment, and the impacts of atmospheric composition on biological, ecological, and material systems.
A new study from UCLA provides insights into how the January 2025 Eaton fire affected air quality downwind, showing how levels of toxic airborne contaminants spiked and then dissipated as the burning died down. The research ...
Environment
5 hours ago
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Solar farms built around China's Gobi Desert could have the unexpected benefit of reducing the dust pollution reaching cities across northern China.
More than 170,000 respiratory cases were recorded in regions affected by haze in Indonesia, a Health Ministry official said Tuesday, as the country has battled for weeks to control fires that caused the toxic smog.
Environment
Sep 22, 2026
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On Sept. 15, the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau sent volcanic ash up to 15,000 meters (50,000 feet) and produced rumbling heard 700 kilometers (435 miles) away. Eight airports suspended operations, thousands of flights were ...
Environment
Sep 18, 2026
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Nearly two-thirds of the American public say climate change is increasing the risk of respiratory diseases and heat- and insect-related illnesses, according to a new survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of ...
Environment
Sep 17, 2026
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In early July 2026, Stanford postdoctoral researcher Alex Honeyman and graduate student Mark Leone attached a box the size of a briefcase to a fire truck in Colorado that was about to be dispatched to a wildfire 300 miles ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 15, 2026
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When forests burn, the direct consequences are obvious: houses go up in flames and habitats are destroyed. The damage caused by smoke extending far beyond the fire area is less visible. Sarah Meier, an environmental economist ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 14, 2026
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With Western wildfires increasing in size, duration and intensity, millions of Americans are now exposed to wildfire smoke each year. In California, 2020 and 2021 were particularly challenging, with a 10-fold increase in ...
Environment
Sep 11, 2026
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Northern India experiences some of the world's worst winter air pollution, with dangerous episodes often prompting emergency control efforts. In major cities like Delhi, the Air Quality Index has reached levels above 999—over ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 11, 2026
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Six orangutans, including two nursing infants, have been rescued from fires raging on Borneo in the past week, Indonesian authorities and rescuers said Thursday, bringing the total to 15 in a month.
Ecology
Sep 10, 2026
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