Pollution might make us too stupid to fight pollution, study finds


The climate change effects of rising levels of carbon dioxide are fairly well-known — but what if this air pollution makes us dumber, too? That's the proposal of the University of Colorado's Kris Karnauskas, an ocean sciences professor, in a paper he co-authored and presented at an American Geophysical Union meeting this fall.
"This is a hidden impact of climate change," Karnauskas explained in an interview withThe Atlantic, "that could actually impact our ability to solve the problem itself."
Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have risen to around 410 parts per million from about 280 parts per million 250 years ago. Indoor carbon dioxide concentrations tend to be higher than the atmospheric baseline thanks to human breathing, which means that the higher that baseline goes, Karnauskas theorizes, the more rapidly poorly ventilated rooms will reach levels able to impair cognition.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Prior research suggests those effects become noticeable around 945 parts per million, and at 1,400 parts per million cognitive function can go down by 50 percent. However, a different study found no impairment at 3,000 parts per million, linking cognitive decline to other indoor air pollutants instead.
The paper Karnauskas co-wrote has not yet been peer reviewed, and "[t]here's got to be a lot more work on this," he told The Atlantic. For example, it's possible high carbon dioxide levels only affect certain populations or certain types of cognition, or that they act to intensify the effects of other particles but don't directly hurt our thinking ability. In the meantime, though, does it seem stuffy in here to you?
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
-
5 low ratings cartoons about the Late Show cancellation
Cartoons Artists take on early warning signs, the Gen Z stare, and more
-
Connie Francis: Superstar of the early 1960s pop scene
In the Spotlight The 'Pretty Little Baby' and 'Stupid Cupid' singer has died aged 87
-
Crossword: July 26, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
At least 12 dead in Thai-Cambodian clashes
Speed Read Both countries accused the other of firing first
-
US and Japan strike trade deal
Speed Read Trump signed what he's calling the 'largest deal ever made'
-
28 nations condemn Israel's 'inhumane killing' in Gaza
Speed Read Countries including Australia, France, Japan and the U.K. have released a joint statement condemning Israel's ongoing attacks
-
Israeli gunfire kills dozens at Gaza aid site
Speed Read The U.N. estimates that at least 875 Palestinians have died while trying to access food in recent months
-
Rubio says US brokered end to Syria conflict
Speed Read Syria's defense ministry was targeted in Israeli attacks on the capital
-
Trump threatens Russia with 'severe tariffs'
speed read The president also agreed to sell NATO advanced arms for Ukraine
-
IDF blames 'error' for strike on Gaza water line
Speed Read Israeli forces attack Palestinians, including children, collecting water in central Gaza
-
Iran still has enriched uranium, Israeli official says
Speed Read It remains unclear how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program following US and Israeli attacks