Mexico City Smog Shown to Damage Residents' Sense of Smell
by Eliza Barclay, Washington, D.C. 
on 06. 9.08
To add insult to injury, it now appears that smog -- in addition to causing lung infections, asthma, heart attacks and cancers -- can diminish your sense of smell. A recent study showed people in Mexico City had trouble smelling everyday odors like coffee and orange juice compared to residents of a nearby town, according to Reuters/Planet Ark.
According to a researcher who ran the study, the subjects' noses were so badly damaged from a life inhaling toxic particles that they also struggled to notice the scent of rotten food.
"We added a substance (to powdered milk) that is a common contaminant of food, something that smells disgusting basically -- like a sour, rotting cabbage," said Robyn Hudson, a senior research scientist at Mexico's National Autonomous University (UNAM).
Mexico City's pollution is well-documented and notorious. Transport emissions from cars and trucks is mostly to blame. Ozone levels regularly exceed World Health Organization standards on approximately 300 days of the year. But fortunately public transportation initiatives like the Bus Rapid Transit MetroBus system are offering a low-emissions alternative. :: Via Reuters/Planet Ark
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