Article Synopsis
- Human activities are raising carbon dioxide levels to unprecedented heights, primarily affecting climate warming.
- Recent studies show that high indoor carbon dioxide concentrations can directly impair cognitive function.
- To prevent harmful indoor CO levels by the end of the century, it's essential to reduce fossil fuel emissions, and a broader interdisciplinary approach is recommended for better understanding and prediction.
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Article Abstract
Human activities are elevating atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to levels unprecedented in human history. The majority of anticipated impacts of anthropogenic CO emissions are mediated by climate warming. Recent experimental studies in the fields of indoor air quality and cognitive psychology and neuroscience, however, have revealed significant direct effects of indoor CO levels on cognitive function. Here, we shed light on this connection and estimate the impact of continued fossil fuel emissions on human cognition. We conclude that indoor CO levels may indeed reach levels harmful to cognition by the end of this century, and the best way to prevent this hidden consequence of climate change is to reduce fossil fuel emissions. Finally, we offer recommendations for a broad, interdisciplinary approach to improving such understanding and prediction.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7229519 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2019GH000237 | DOI Listing |
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