This GIF shows you the world’s worst air pollution hot spots
This map shows you nitrogen dioxide emissions hot spots around the globe, with the highest levels of NO2 displayed as white patches.
The culprit: Nitrogen dioxide emissions come from fossil fuels being burned. Combustion engines in cars, buses, and trains all emit NO2, as do factories, power plants, and forest fires. It causes lung and respiratory problems—and it shorten life spans.
The highest concentrations: In this composite, they’re mostly in big cities like Moscow, Beijing, Lima, Jakarta, and Mexico City, geographer Tim Wallace explains. But less well-populated places have high concentrations too, like Korba in India, which has a population of 360,000 yet exceptionally high nitrogen dioxide emissions thanks to its industrial sector. There are also hot spots in south central Africa caused by biomass fires.
How was this graphic made? The data was collected during August and September 2018. It’s a composite of images taken by from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-5P, an Earth observation satellite. The graphic was pulled together by a data analysis startup called Descartes Labs.
Sign up here to our daily newsletter The Download to get your dose of the latest must-read news from the world of emerging tech.
Deep Dive
Climate change
These deep-sea “potatoes” could be the future of mining for renewable energy
Battery materials dot the ocean floor. Should we go get them?
The hottest new climate technology is bricks
Heat batteries could help cut emissions by providing new routes to use solar and wind power.
This abundant material could unlock cheaper batteries for EVs
Sodium-based batteries could start hitting the market this year, if companies follow through on their plans.
The Green Future Index 2023
The Green Future Index 2023 is the third edition of the comparative ranking of 76 nations and territories on their ability to develop a sustainable, low-carbon future.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.