Lew Ziska

I'm happy to be here.

I'm happy to be here.

We've been looking at the role of changing winters, that winters are becoming more wild and that they're starting later and spring is starting earlier and falls are being delayed. That increase in the frost-free season is allowing greater exposure of plant-based pollen to people who are allergic to that pollen. So with that change in seasonality, in addition to changes in carbon dioxide,

We've been looking at the role of changing winters, that winters are becoming more wild and that they're starting later and spring is starting earlier and falls are being delayed. That increase in the frost-free season is allowing greater exposure of plant-based pollen to people who are allergic to that pollen. So with that change in seasonality, in addition to changes in carbon dioxide,

and other things that make plants grow more, we're seeing a increase in the overall amount of pollen, but also the time in which you're exposed to that pollen. So we think those are two of the underlying reasons why the pollen season is becoming more severe.

and other things that make plants grow more, we're seeing a increase in the overall amount of pollen, but also the time in which you're exposed to that pollen. So we think those are two of the underlying reasons why the pollen season is becoming more severe.

That's a very good point. And yes, they are. One of the things that we use as sort of a model for this is we looked at an urban environment. Urban environments are often called heat sinks because they're warmer than the surrounding area. And so we began by planting ragweed, which is a pollen source that everyone is familiar with.

That's a very good point. And yes, they are. One of the things that we use as sort of a model for this is we looked at an urban environment. Urban environments are often called heat sinks because they're warmer than the surrounding area. And so we began by planting ragweed, which is a pollen source that everyone is familiar with.

But we planted ragweed in a rural area in a farm, and then we put the same ragweed in the same soil along this transect from the farm to downtown Baltimore. And what we found doing so was that the warmer temperatures in Baltimore, the longer growing season in Baltimore,

But we planted ragweed in a rural area in a farm, and then we put the same ragweed in the same soil along this transect from the farm to downtown Baltimore. And what we found doing so was that the warmer temperatures in Baltimore, the longer growing season in Baltimore,

The increased carbon dioxide in Baltimore allowed for an average ragweed plant to produce 10 times more pollen in that environment than it did out in the rural environment. So it's something that we think is having a direct effect in regards to the amount of pollen that you're being exposed to.

The increased carbon dioxide in Baltimore allowed for an average ragweed plant to produce 10 times more pollen in that environment than it did out in the rural environment. So it's something that we think is having a direct effect in regards to the amount of pollen that you're being exposed to.

But that rural to urban transect is sort of a harbinger, if you will, of things to come with respect to climate overall. In addition, we also looked at, for the Northern Hemisphere, different pollen sets that we obtained from really dedicated allergists and botanists throughout the world.

But that rural to urban transect is sort of a harbinger, if you will, of things to come with respect to climate overall. In addition, we also looked at, for the Northern Hemisphere, different pollen sets that we obtained from really dedicated allergists and botanists throughout the world.

And seeing that in recent, the last 20 years or so, that what we were seeing at the city level is also occurring globally, at least for the Northern Hemisphere.

And seeing that in recent, the last 20 years or so, that what we were seeing at the city level is also occurring globally, at least for the Northern Hemisphere.

We're seeing increasing changes with regard to the sort of three stages of plant-based pollen. In the spring, it's primarily trees. In the summer, it drops off, but it's still there in terms of grasses and weeds. And then in the fall, it picks back up again with respect to ragweed, which is the primary pollen producer at that time.

We're seeing increasing changes with regard to the sort of three stages of plant-based pollen. In the spring, it's primarily trees. In the summer, it drops off, but it's still there in terms of grasses and weeds. And then in the fall, it picks back up again with respect to ragweed, which is the primary pollen producer at that time.

And what we're seeing is the concentrations are increasing, particularly in the springs and again in the falls, in regard to the amount of pollen. And also we're seeing that if you have storms that occur at that time, particularly lightning storms, what it can do is it can break the pollen apart.

And what we're seeing is the concentrations are increasing, particularly in the springs and again in the falls, in regard to the amount of pollen. And also we're seeing that if you have storms that occur at that time, particularly lightning storms, what it can do is it can break the pollen apart.