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Lead from gasoline blunted the IQ of about half the U.S. population, study says
NBC News / Comcast ^ | March 7, 2022 | By Elizabeth Chuck

Posted on 03/08/2022 5:31:41 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

Exposure to leaded gasoline lowered the IQ of about half the population of the United States, a new study estimates.

The peer-reviewed study, published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, focuses on people born before 1996 — the year the U.S. banned gas containing lead.

Overall, the researchers from Florida State University and Duke University found, childhood lead exposure cost America an estimated 824 million points, or 2.6 points per person on average.

Certain cohorts were more affected than others. For people born in the 1960s and the 1970s, when leaded gas consumption was skyrocketing, the IQ loss was estimated to be up to 6 points and for some, more than 7 points. Exposure to it came primarily from inhaling auto exhaust.

The team behind the study used gas consumption data, population estimates and other data to calculate that as of 2015, more than 170 million Americans had had blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter in their early childhood years.

Lead is a neurotoxin, and no amount of it is safe. Currently, 3.5 micrograms per deciliter is the reference value for blood lead levels to be considered high; the acceptable amount was once higher.

Principal study author Michael McFarland, an associate professor of sociology at Florida State University and a faculty member of the university’s Center for Demography and Population Health, called the number of people affected by lead exposure “staggering.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bidenvoters; democrats; democratvoters; elizabethchuck; lead; liberals; nbc; nbcia; progressives; qanon
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

I’m sure that within hours they’ll start claiming that blacks were the primary victim and that leaded gas was racist.


101 posted on 03/08/2022 6:54:00 AM PST by euram
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To: D Rider; dforest

No kidding. I had to wonder after dforest’s post...what is the history of union intrusion into the K-12 teaching profession since WWII?

I would have to guess it was quite small before then...

Also, the “federalization” of education culminating in the execrable “Common Core” BS has something to do with it.

When school hiring, firing, and curriculum decisions were kept in the school district/local level, things were better, IMO.


102 posted on 03/08/2022 6:59:14 AM PST by rlmorel (The concept of a "cashless society" is simply a vector for the exercise of tyranny.)
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To: fremont_steve

***What percentage of cars were using leaded gas in 1985?***

Lots of them! Leaded gas was still cheaper than unleaded so people were reaming out the smaller size gas blocker and using leaded gas in their unleaded vehicles.

Leaded gas tanks had a large opening to fill the tank.
Unleaded gas had a smaller opening to prevent use of the larger leaded dispenser.
So some individuals made and sold a plastic converter piece to fit over the leaded dispenser converting it to the smaller unleaded dispenser.

Others just took a crow bar or other item and reamed out the hole in the unleaded tank.
I never bought a used car or truck, in the 1980s, that did not have the unleaded opening reamed out.


103 posted on 03/08/2022 7:04:17 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar (No dog in the Unraine war, but we still root for the underdog.)
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To: nascarnation

reminding me that as a young draftsman for Corp of Engineer projects we were using ruling pens on linen for archive copies, Leroy lettering guides BRP (Before Rapidograph Pens)

And good heavens...in jr high nech drawing classes we were required to have sharp pen knives to sharpen those wooden pencils and have single edge razor blades to scrape of ink blots and over run lines ( late 50s-early 60s. About the same time Kelly Johnson and crew were designing and building the SR-70.

what a bunch of dummies we were.
;>)


104 posted on 03/08/2022 7:04:45 AM PST by Covenantor (We are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and fools who can not govern. " Chesterton)
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To: gr8eman
Yes. Junk Science, indeed.

The fact that any school would promote a fraudulent POS like Bill Nye with his My Sex Junk - Rachel Bloom - Bill Nye Saves The World video.

I have no doubt that classroom hours were set aside, and if this were to take place some thirty years ago, one of those big clunky televisions would have been wheeled into the room to show them that disgusting video.

All in the interest of "science"...

105 posted on 03/08/2022 7:04:49 AM PST by rlmorel (The concept of a "cashless society" is simply a vector for the exercise of tyranny.)
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To: protoconservative

Thank you!


106 posted on 03/08/2022 7:07:08 AM PST by Who is John Galt? ("...mit Pulver und Blei, Die Gedanken sind frei!")
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To: bhl; Professional Engineer

It brought to mind the opening scenes of the movie “Idiocracy”...


107 posted on 03/08/2022 7:08:08 AM PST by rlmorel (The concept of a "cashless society" is simply a vector for the exercise of tyranny.)
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To: rlmorel

She also made the claim, in 1950, that the Glaciers started melting in 1900. It was repeated in this old movie.

“The Sea Around Us” is a 1953 American documentary film written and produced by Irwin Allen, based on the book of the same name by Rachel L. Carson.


108 posted on 03/08/2022 7:11:43 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar (No dog in the Unraine war, but we still root for the underdog.)
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To: LouAvul

***Wait’ll the CDC learns I also siphoned it. They’ll go nuts. ***
We used gasoline to kill wasp nests back in those days. Just throw it on the nest and down they went.

We also played with mercury in high school science classes, allowed it to roll around in our hands, coated silver dimes with it, tasted it...

I am 75 years old and still have my real teeth!


109 posted on 03/08/2022 7:15:36 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar (No dog in the Unraine war, but we still root for the underdog.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Academia: “IQ is meaningless, you stupid Bell Curve racists!”
also Academia: “Air pollution lowers IQ!”


110 posted on 03/08/2022 7:16:51 AM PST by Meet the New Boss (In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“study” “Estimates”

Never any hard core proof.

Those with lower IQ’s don’t usually drive.


111 posted on 03/08/2022 7:22:02 AM PST by ridesthemiles
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

I had no idea.

I went to a Cranberry Festival some years back, and it was quite nice and fun. But one of the displays (An Audubon display) had an older woman talking about Rachel Carson and her work.

After she gave her little spiel, I engaged her in polite and friendly conversation. I had some facts at the tip of my tongue...she was just relating what someone had told her.

She was very nice, but I made her head spin a little bit. I am sure that if she related this conversation to anyone else, they would “set her straight” and get her re-indoctrinated...:)

And she would see me as an evil conservative interloper.


112 posted on 03/08/2022 7:23:26 AM PST by rlmorel (The concept of a "cashless society" is simply a vector for the exercise of tyranny.)
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To: HartleyMBaldwin

That’s it, Brain Wave!


113 posted on 03/08/2022 7:29:06 AM PST by \/\/ayne (I regret that I have but one subscription cancellation notice to give to my local newspaper)
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To: cymbeline

Some stuff used to be called Ethyl.

Probably for Tetraethyl Lead.

Dad’s Pontiacs used it, so he kept it in the farm tank.

And I don’t remember anything else.


114 posted on 03/08/2022 7:54:28 AM PST by Scrambler Bob (My /s is more true than your /science (or you might mean /seance))
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

It wasn’t lead that blunted the IQ’s it was public schools and liberalism.


115 posted on 03/08/2022 8:01:42 AM PST by Vaduz ( )
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

And they all vote Democrat.


116 posted on 03/08/2022 8:03:02 AM PST by ro_dreaming (Joe Biden is the dementia riddled, no-filter grifter he's always been - just now, we get to see it.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Big media propaganda trying to push green vehicles agenda


117 posted on 03/08/2022 8:05:09 AM PST by stuck_in_new_orleans ( )
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

How much did watching NBC blunt?


118 posted on 03/08/2022 8:14:46 AM PST by Luke21
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

So,when do the Class action lawsuits against the gas companies start?🤔


119 posted on 03/08/2022 8:37:58 AM PST by BiteYourSelf ( Earth first we'll strip mine the other planets later.)
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To: rlmorel

Hydrate!


120 posted on 03/08/2022 8:39:38 AM PST by Professional Engineer (Looks like I'll have to buy the White Album again.)
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