Our planet's polluted air, in 1 stunning image

A map of atmospheric aerosols.
(Image credit: NASA/Joshua Stevens/Adam Voiland)

From flooding to wildfires to off-season storms, humans have seen many consequences of climate change. But perhaps one of the least-known repercussions is the worldwide presence of tiny specks of solid particles and liquid droplets that have infiltrated our atmosphere. Whenever you take a breath, chances are you're inhaling many of these "aerosols."

NASA last week published a telling image that will give you an idea of how bad the problem really is:

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Shivani is the editorial assistant at TheWeek.com and has previously written for StreetEasy and Mic.com. A graduate of the physics and journalism departments at NYU, Shivani currently lives in Brooklyn and spends free time cooking, watching TV, and taking too many selfies.