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New Delhi Has the World's Worst Air Pollution

If I said, “name a dirty city”, you would probably think of the pollution we see in Beijing, China. But the world's worst air is actually about 2,400 miles west of that.

This isn't a dust storm.  It's New Delhi on Monday.

Last year the World Health Organization measured air quality levels in 1,600 cities around the world and the Indian capital city had the dirtiest air. New Delhi had the highest concentration of particulate matter, or really small pollutants, getting an average score of a whopping 153, on a scale that scored Beijing at 56, and New York City at just 14!

The organization says humans should try to be in places where the score is less than 10, because those tiny particles can go deep into your lungs, and cause chronic health problems.

New Delhi’s pollution levels are the result of having old cars, industry emissions, burning of bio-mass, and coal-powered power stations.


Video: Bill Nye the Science Guy, Pollution Solutions

Interactive Website: Environmental Protection Agency, My EPA, Data by Zip Code

Website & Online Games: Air Now

Encyclopedia: World Book Kids, India