Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas.
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Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/The study from Cerling et al. I saw Thure Cerling talk about his work when I was a grad student, fascinating stuff! https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2525498123
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Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/@dantheclamman wow, and the decline is continuing exponentially through today, looks like
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R ActivityRelay shared this topic
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Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/@dantheclamman great news aside, am i the only one that finds this graph very beautiful as well? i love aesthetically pleasing depictions of data
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N Marianne shared this topic
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Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/@dantheclamman similarly strontium 90 in baby teeth
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Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/@dantheclamman Isn’t it great being an (early) Millenial? Almost the same lead dose at birth, but no chance of owning a home. But yes, regulation works, another example is CFCs/HCFCs and the ozone layer
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Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/and that's why they are going to roll them back.
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@dantheclamman wow, and the decline is continuing exponentially through today, looks like
@petrelharp @dantheclamman Yep, like radioactive decay
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The study from Cerling et al. I saw Thure Cerling talk about his work when I was a grad student, fascinating stuff! https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2525498123
@dantheclamman Nothing about environmental lead and crime, which appears to be a thing...
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@dantheclamman Isn’t it great being an (early) Millenial? Almost the same lead dose at birth, but no chance of owning a home. But yes, regulation works, another example is CFCs/HCFCs and the ozone layer
@JSMuellerRoemer @dantheclamman "Elder Millenial" Is the term you are searching for.
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@JSMuellerRoemer @dantheclamman "Elder Millenial" Is the term you are searching for.
@JDGeoShack @dantheclamman I know the term, I just don’t like it
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@JDGeoShack @dantheclamman I know the term, I just don’t like it
@JSMuellerRoemer @dantheclamman LMAO - embrace it with me! With age comes wisdom.
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and that's why they are going to roll them back.
@Sassinake the paper actually explicitly calls this out in a way I rarely see in a discussion section. very powerful and kind of chilling
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@JSMuellerRoemer @dantheclamman LMAO - embrace it with me! With age comes wisdom.
@dantheclamman @JDGeoShack dunno, I feel with age comes anger and rage against capitalism and conservative politicians (i.e. all that aren’t on the very left end of the spectrum these days, which is basically the 90s center left). But maybe that’s not about age, more about a system hellbent on ending humanity?
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@dantheclamman @JDGeoShack dunno, I feel with age comes anger and rage against capitalism and conservative politicians (i.e. all that aren’t on the very left end of the spectrum these days, which is basically the 90s center left). But maybe that’s not about age, more about a system hellbent on ending humanity?
@JSMuellerRoemer @dantheclamman AKA Wisdom
You're spittin' facts right now. Keep on, you lovely fediverse citizen you. 
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Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/Good to see this evidence!
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Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/@dantheclamman Kevin Drum would've loved this
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Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/@dantheclamman but won't anybody think of the shareholders and how these evil regulations make them miss out on the last pennies for their return on investment! /s
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Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/@dantheclamman
I know I'm a broken record (or looping GIF) on this, but a large reason Pb levels aren't even lower is Avgas, the 100-octane gasoline fuel burned in virtually all reciprocating-engine aircraft, which still contains tetraethyl lead. -
Comparing historical hair samples from people from when they were babies to today, a new study finds a nearly 100-fold decrease in lead from samples after the EPA's crackdown on leaded gas. Regulation works and it saves lives!
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/a-century-of-hair-samples-proves-leaded-gas-ban-worked/@dantheclamman But without lead causing irrational impulsive behavior and brain damage, how will the GOP get new voters?
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@dantheclamman Nothing about environmental lead and crime, which appears to be a thing...
@martinvermeer @dantheclamman Truthfully, this would be very hard data to draw any conclusions from. There are just too many other factors. For instance, the shift from mostly human manufacturing to mostly robotic manufacturing (which began happening at increasing scale post WWII) the stagnation of wages are going to drive crime. Also the CIA selling arms to Iran to buy drugs from Noriega to dump on US streets to increase crime as a way to attack minorities. Too many factors. Hard to isolate.
