Study Boldly Claims That People Are Dumber Now Because Of Exposure To Leaded Gasoline

Leaded gasoline for cars finally disappeared from the Earth for good in 2021, but its affects will be with us for a long time.

A new study looked at the impact of exposure to leaded gasoline in the early childhood development of Americans between 1940 and 2015. Researchers published their findings Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. From the Associated Press:

The scientists from Florida State University and Duke University also found that 90% of children born in the U.S. between 1950 and 1981 had blood-lead levels higher than the CDC threshold. And the researchers found significant impact on cognitive development: on average, early childhood exposure to lead resulted in a 2.6-point drop in IQ.