Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [environmental-health]

Use this tag for questions regarding physical, chemical and biological factors that may affect human health.

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Is there hard science behind the benefits of home water softeners?

Does anyone know of any empirical studies or well-tested scientific theories on the benefits (or lack thereof) of using a home water softener? I have a water softener in my house that we installed when we first built the place years ago. I have…
wjl
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Are wind turbines harmful to human health?

The so-called wind turbine syndrome has received quite a bit of attention of late. For example, on How Stuff Works: Until recently, there were three main issues regarding the possible downsides of wind power: bird and­ bat deaths, cost, and…
Brian M. Hunt
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Can jet lag give you permanent memory and learning problems?

A recent article on Cracked.com, 5 Things You Won't Believe Are Making You Dumber, claims "jet lag gives you permanent memory and learning problems" and cited several studies. But when you look at the cited study, it shows permanent mental deficits…
InquilineKea
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Is it illegal to sell used mattresses?

I'm possibly selling a used mattress (plead the 5th) and to my surprise was told that it's illegal! I've never heard this before. It seems that many others are asking this question and have heard it too: Snopes discussion forum post Wiki answers…
Hendy
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Is wood smoke that bad?

Recently I've read that blog post by Sam Harris and I was quite shocked. I don't have a fireplace or any habit related to a systematic wood-burning. But is wood smoke really that bad as it is described in the text? Is there a general…
Kostya
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Are fume events a frequent health hazard to airplane passengers?

Are friend told me about oil fumes contamination he experienced during a flight. This seems to be no isolated case. This list shows several incidents of similar type over years. “Upon initial descent there suddenly was a very strong oil smell…
Hauser
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Can pressurized air directed on the skin cause an embolism?

At my workplace we are warned against using compressed air to blow dust of working clothes etc, except when a special nozzle is affixed to the to the hose, reducing the pressure of the released air. One danger that was mentioned at a workshop I was…
eirikdaude
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Do we unknowingly eat 5 grams of plastic per week?

I just saw a DW (Deutsche Welle the German public state own international broadcaster) short documentary on You-Tube named "How to avoid micro plastic in your food" and is about how much plastic we are eating. Please seek to time 3:46. In that,…
SwiftPushkar
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Is the EPA's regulation of particulate matter justified with evidence?

The US Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has restrictions on "Particulate Matter". A recent Wall Street Journal op-ed piece article claims it is based on a scientifically unsupported notion that the fine particles of soot emitted by…
Daniel
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Does sunlight cause most of the wrinkles on our faces?

WebMd claimed in a post that: Exposure to sun causes most of the wrinkles and age spots on our faces. Consider this: One woman at age 40 who has protected her skin from the sun actually has the skin of a 30-year-old! Does spending time in the sun…
Christian
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Is this a way to survive a lightning strike?

source Text in the image (clockwise): Crouch down low like a baseball catcher. Get as low as you can. The nearer you are to the ground, the less likely you are to be struck by lightning. But never lie down! If your hair begins to stand on end…
The very fluffy Panda
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Is it healthy to sunbathe without sunscreen?

An article in The Telegraph starts with: Researchers followed 30,000 women for 20 years and found that those who avoided the sunshine were twice as likely to die Women who never sunbathe during the summer are twice as likely to die than those who…
Christian
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Could Fukushima daiichi cause the health problems suffered by the USS Ronald Reagan crew?

I came across the Huffington post article Fukushima And The Navy: Sailors Sue Japan Nuclear Plant Owner, Saying Disaster Made Them Sick. It's talking about a lawsuit against the operators of Fukushima Daiichi by the crew of the USS Ronald…
Andrew Grimm
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Do solar flares and/or geomagnetic storms affect human health?

I've read recently that magnetic storms cause: "heart failure, heart attack, strokes and insomnia". This comes from major newspaper in Lithuania (EU country), here is the link to the article (in Lithuanian). The evidence presented is increase in…
mpiktas
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Is white asbestos dangerous?

In this article in The Daily Telegraph it is claimed that large amounts of money are being spent to deal with white asbestos despite this substance posing no risk to human health. It was in the 1950s that scientists including Professor Richard…
Tom77
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