Avoiding belligerent bus drivers or unwitting tourists popping out of taxis are just a few of the more obvious risks of riding a bike through city streets. Yet there could be another inconspicuous and nearly unavoidable danger that could take a toll on your health: air pollution. Identifying how hazardous exercise can be in an urban environment filled with noxious particles in the air is the goal of a new study by Columbia University researchers Steven Chillrud and Darby Jack. Using biometric sensors, a wearable pollution monitor, and GPS, the study will detail participants’ exposure to toxins as they cycle through city streets.
Learn more and find out how you can take part at wnyc.org/streets.
Credits
Produced by Luke Groskin
Music by Audio Network
Additional Stills and Video Provided by
Zev Ross Spatial Analysis, Jen Connor,
Recios Media Crew (C.C. 3.0), NACTO (C.C. 3.0), Vimeo User GCM (C.C. 3.0) ,
WNYC , Michael Phillips (C.C. 3.0), Darby Jack,
Brewbooks EPA, Edison-Hannigan Lab
Related Links
A New National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Grant To Study Biking and Urban Pollution
Meet the Producer
About Luke Groskin
@lgroskinLuke Groskin is Science Friday’s video producer. He’s on a mission to make you love spiders and other odd creatures.