The coronavirus has made millions around the world regularly wear masks to reduce the spread of the virus. It is clear, masks help mitigate virus spread. But widespread mask wearing may be having another unintended benefit: lowering blood pressure for millions. With mask wearing to prevent coronavirus spread, people are accidentally protecting themselves from air […]
Tag: health
Bangladesh & Dhaka Air Quality – 2020 Update
Reports of Dhaka and Bangladesh’s air pollution being the ‘worst’ in the world feature often in the news. But how much of a problem is air pollution in Bangladesh and Dhaka, really? This article provides an overview of Bangladesh’s air pollution: how bad is Bangladesh and Dhaka’s air pollution and AQI, where does it […]
What Time of Day Is Air Pollution Lowest in India?
When Smart Air polled people about what time of day air pollution is lowest, the most popular answer was the early morning, before the morning rush hour. But how accurate are our intuitions? To get to the bottom of it, Smart Air analyzed thousands of hours of PM2.5 data from the US Embassy for Delhi, […]
Why are Air Purifiers so Expensive?
I thought about why air purifiers cost a lot because I was living in Beijing when the (first) “airpocalypse” struck. Here’s what it looked like: The High Price of Air Purifiers I went out to buy an air purifier, and found that the one I wanted cost $2,000! I worked out I’d need two for […]
Here’s Why Winter Air Quality in India Is so Bad
Winter air quality in India is hazardous, with PM2.5 pollution levels reach more than 10 times the World Health Organization’s annual limit. Hazy skies and pollution alerts have become the norm during India’s winters. But just why is this? Analyzing India’s Summer & Winter Pollution Levels Data analyzed by Smart Air showed that India’s winter […]
Do N95 Masks Deprive Us of Oxygen?
Wearing masks for hours on end has led some people to worry about whether N95 masks deprive us of oxygen. Scientists have actually made people wear N95 masks and measured their blood oxygen. So we have a solid answer to this question, and it’s not what this question assumes. This question itself doesn’t ask IF […]
Can HEPA Filters Be Used to Make DIY Face Masks?
News media like The New York Times and Today have been talking about using HEPA filters as a material to make DIY face masks. There are even YouTube videos showing how to DIY a mask out of a HEPA filter. But just how well can HEPA filters capture virus-sized particles, and can HEPA […]
Are Fibers From HEPA Filters Harmful to Health?
HEPAs are air filters often used in air purifiers or central air systems to clean indoor air. They’re made from a mat of randomly aligned fibers that are usually made from polypropylene (PP) or fiberglass. That fact has made some people afraid of HEPA filters. There’s a controversy over whether fiberglass particles can cause lung […]
What Are the Best Materials for Making DIY Masks?
With masks sold out during the coronavirus outbreak, many people will have to make do with what some scientists have called “the last resort”: the DIY mask. Data shows that DIY and homemade masks are effective at capturing viruses. But if forced to make our own mask, what material is best suited to make a […]
Can DIY Masks Protect Us From Coronavirus?
DIY masks to protect against from viruses sounds like a crazy idea. Data shows masks work incredibly well, and they’re also really cheap. Surgical masks cost a few pennies, and they’re capable of filtering out 80% of particles down to 0.007 microns (14 times smaller than the coronavirus). However, the coronavirus outbreak brought with it […]
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