Indoor CO2 Levels could make us STUPID

The world’s carbon dioxide problem doesn’t just affect the atmosphere- the gas is starting to fill our homes, schools and offices, too. Indoor levels of the gas are projected to climb so high, in fact they could cut people’s ability to do complex cognitive tasks in half by the end of the century. That prediction comes from three scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Pennsylvania. The findings show that, if global carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise on their current trajectory, the concentration of CO2 in the air could more than double by 2100. Based on measurements of humans function in spaces with that much CO2, the scientists warn, we could find ourselves scoring 50% lower on measures of complex thought by the end of the century. that includes the ability to plan strategies, respond to a crisis, make decisions, and use new information to achieve a goal.

beyond being to blame for Earth’s climbing temperature, carbon dioxide also has direct impacts on the brain. That’s bad news for office workers and school children. Researchers behind a 2015 study had 24 people spend six full work days in a lab-controlled office space with varying levels of CO2. Each afternoon, the participants took part in a computer simulation in which they responded to an evolving real-world scenario, like managing a town as its mayor. The software tracked the participants’ cognitive ability as they went through the simulation. The results showed that as CO2 levels increased, participants consistently struggled with strategy, information use, and crisis response. Similar results have been found in schools. A 2015 study found that, across140 fifth grade classrooms in the south-western US, poor ventilation and high CO2 levels were strongly correlated with lower math scores for students.

Scientists are not yet sure what CO2 does in the brain that impairs cognitive functioning, but preliminary research suggests that breathing in too much of the gas can prevent your brain from using oxygen efficiently. It always comes down to the ability to get oxygen to the brain. A climate scientist came across with these results, immediately thought about 36.2 billion tonnes of CO2 humans pumped into the atmosphere in 2017. So he worked with a mechanical engineer and cognitive neuroscientist to  make calculations based on the above findings and projections about rising carbon dioxide emissions. They created a model of classroom full of elementary school children, with the appropriate breathing rates and room ventilation. Then they looked at what would happen in two potential emissions scenarios projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The results showed that in a business-as-usual scenario, in which carbon emissions continue to rise, humans would score 50% lower on measures of complex cognitive ability by 2100. For more basic cognitive measures, performance would drop about 25%, however, these are rough calculations.

Matter referenced:

Times of India, Ahmedabad, Friday, 27th December, 2019.

By: Dr. Bhawana Asnani.

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