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Surprising Science

How Pollution Affects the Unborn

“Before children even take their first breath, common air pollutants breathed by their mothers during pregnancy may reduce their intelligence.” Scientific America reports on urban pollution.

“Before children even take their first breath, common air pollutants breathed by their mothers during pregnancy may reduce their intelligence.” Scientific America reports on urban pollution: “The link between prenatal exposure to pollutants and cognitive development is a growing area of concern ‘that’s been getting a lot more attention,’ said David Bellinger, an environmental epidemiologist and professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. … Researchers have now linked several environmental contaminants to effects on developing brains.”


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