#urban-health

#urban-health

The angry rumble of a speeding SUV. The metallic smog of backlogged traffic. The aching heat of sun-dried neighbourhoods baking in an oven of concrete and asphalt. For most people, the mundane threats that plague our environments are likely to annoy more than they spark dread. But for scientists who know just how dangerous our surroundings can be, the burden of knowledge weighs heavy each day.

City living is proving pretty popular. The proportion of people living in urban areas in 1950 was a bit less than one-third. Today, it's more than half. By 2050, two-thirds of the global population will call a city home - a complete reversal of the situation 100 years earlier. The health and happiness of these people, and the world's responses to the specific challenges faced by city-dwellers, are therefore central to the future prospects of humanity.

Summer might be over, but a new study is making a convincing case for extending your beach vacation days into the fall and winter - or even making seaside living a full-time thing. According to findings from The Ohio State University, your home's proximity to the ocean can directly impact your long-term health as well as how long you live.