Researchers measured lead pollution and its impact on human health through Arctic ice-core samples. View on euronews

Lead pollution from Roman mining and metal production may have lowered intelligence levels across the vast Roman Empire nearly 2,000 years ago, new research suggests. Scientists from the Desert Research Institute in Nevada say their findings connect ancient industrial activities to widespread cognitive impairment.

It was during the period known as the Pax Romana, a time of stability in the Roman Empire that lasted for about two hundred years between 27 BC and 192 AD. Mining and smelting operations throughout Europe were likely a a source of lead contamination,

Two thousand years ago, the Roman Empire hummed with activity. Roads stretched like arteries, connecting distant provinces. Mines yielded treasures buried deep in the earth, and smelters worked tirelessly to transform raw silver ore into the coins that fueled an empire.

Lead exposure has left its toxic fingerprints all over history. We’ve come a long way in reducing its presence, but […]