Chine is currently the most polluted country in the world. The increasing effects of this environmental problem have led to severe issues and outbursts among the citizens. The latest study has revealed that the air pollution has an after effect which will upset the already enraged locals even more. It seems like the air pollution is reducing the intelligence and cognitive abilities of people and dumbing them down. The effect is mostly seen when the people grow older, especially for the less educated lot than the educated ones. The report states, “The damage on the aging brain by air pollution likely imposes substantial health and economic costs, considering that cognitive functioning is critical for the elderly for both running daily errands and making high-stakes decisions.”
The effects are mostly seen in cognitive performance related tasks that require verbal and math capabilities. This is not the first time a study is telling the impact of pollution on intelligence. Another research indicated an inverse link between a mother’s exposure to pollutants and a child’s intelligence at the age of five. Another study showed that increased levels of carbon dioxide on an airplane’s deck becomes a reason of reduction in pilot’s abilities to perform as effectively as usual. Green office environments have been found to stimulate productivity and increased cognitive functioning while living in the green neighborhoods slow the cognitive decline of old age.
If children are living close to green spaces, it increases their attention span and improves their sleep. It looks like, despite all the technological advancements, human dependence on nature is inherent and cannot be controlled by giving the latest techs. The environmental contamination is responsible for many health damages that range from diabetes to death. Although actions have been taken to control the current degradation of the environment, many experts say that we might still be too late to do anything about this.