Earlier this year the Met Office warned that hay fever could get worse due to climate change. And it's not just a hypothetical problem we may face in the future. In a recent paper, researchers dug into pollen trends over the last 26 years across the UK, focussing on grass, birch and oak pollen, to investigate how changing weather patterns are already affecting hay fever season.
While the work showed that climate change is certainly having an effect, the exact changes depend on which kind of pollen you're affected by. The season for birch pollen (the second most important type when it comes to hay fever, after grass pollen), is increasing in severity - meaning the total amount of pollen seen during the season is higher.
Oak pollen season is also starting earlier and lasting longer. But there's some good news regarding grass pollen: while the first day with high grass pollen levels seems to be getting earlier, the season doesn't appear to be getting worse.
The data in the study only goes as far as 2020, but Dr Beverly Adams-Groom, lead author of the paper and senior palynologist at the University of Worcester, says those trends appear to be continuing.
"The birch pollen season this year and in 2021 were among the very worst that we've ever seen," she says.
Pollen is a fine powder made by plants as part of their reproductive cycle and hay fever is an allergic reaction to proteins found on the pollen when it gets into our eyes, nose and throat.
この記事は BBC Science Focus の August 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は BBC Science Focus の August 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
THE HUNGER GAME
Obesity is on the rise, but as we blame our unhealthy food-ridden environment and look to wonder drugs to get rid of unwanted fat, what role do our genetics play?
HOW THE UNIVERSE WILL END
A colossal supercollider now in the early stages of development may one day help us predict the ultimate fate of the Universe. With it, scientists will be trying to find a hidden instability built into the fabric of existence... an instability that could destroy everything
DARK ENERGY MIGHT BE ABOUT TO THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS
The most mysterious phenomenon in the Universe could be about to spring another surprise on us
TAKE-OFF AT LAST
AFTER A LONG WAIT, THE WORLD'S FIRST ZERO EMISSIONS AEROPLANES ARE FINALLY TAXIING TO REALITY. BUT ARE THEY THE SOLUTION WE NEED?
INSIDE THE 3D, NANOSCALE ATLAS THAT REVEALS A FRACTION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN
The map is now the highest-resolution picture of the human brain ever created
HOW THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN NUCLEAR FORENSICS MAY HELP CLEAN UP CHERNOBYL
Contrary to popular belief, radioactive material doesn't glow. But a team of nuclear forensics experts are working on a device to make it do just that. BBC Science Focus's Noa Leach meets the scientists behind the innovative device
MAJOR STUDY SHOWS HOW ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS CHANGE YOUR LIFESPAN, IF YOU'RE NOT EATING YOUR VEG
While ultra-processed food is bad for your health, a decades-long study suggests it may not be as harmful as previously thought
ORIGIN OF EARTH'S 'SECOND MOON' DISCOVERED
Asteroid sampling mission will confirm whether moon-like Kamo'oalewa came from our Moon
INTERMITTENT FASTING AND CORRECTLY TIMED WORKOUTS ARE KEY TO FAT LOSS, SAYS STUDY
A new approach to dieting and exercise could help you lose weight and enhance your health
MASSIVE EXPLOSION SPOTTED ON MYSTERIOUS DEAD STAR
A satellite in the right place at the right time captured an important cosmic sight
