Roman Empire, lead

Roman Empire’s use of lead lowered IQ levels across Europe, study finds
Researchers say the massive expansion of mining and the processing of metal ores caused airborne lead pollution to soar during the peak of the empire, leading to an estimated 2- to 3-point drop in IQ
Ancient lead pollution may have lowered IQs across the Roman Empire
The new research adds context to a long-standing debate about the role lead pollution and poisoning may have played in the collapse of the Roman Empire. Some historians have argued that Roman elites and emperors who purportedly displayed odd,
Lead pollution across the Roman Empire would have caused IQ deficits
Lead records from Arctic glaciers indicate that people all over Europe would have been affected by pollution from metal smelting during the Roman era
How Pollution in Ancient Rome Lowered IQ of Population
Lead pollution might sound like a modern problem, but people were subjected to significant levels during antiquity, too.
Lead pollution in ancient Rome may have dropped average IQ, study finds
Lead pollution in ancient Rome likely dropped the average IQ, a study found. The research is based on an analysis of ice cores extracted from Greenland.
Ancient Lead Poisoning May Have Contributed to the Roman Empire’s Downfall
Learn how researchers examined lead levels in ice cores dating back to the Roman Empire, and found concentrations high enough to affect IQs.
Lead pollution in the air impacted all ancient Romans
The researchers first took measurements of lead deposited in three Arctic ice cores every year between 500 BCE and 600 CE using techniques they have reported before. They found that lead emissions shot up around 15 BCE, soon after the rise of the Roman Empire, and dipped around 165–180 CE with the end of Pax Romana.
Lead pollution likely caused widespread IQ declines in ancient Rome
Lead exposure is responsible for a range of human health impacts, with even relatively low levels impacting the cognitive development of children. DRI scientists have previously used atmospheric pollution records preserved in Arctic ice cores to identify periods of lead pollution throughout the Roman Empire,
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Lead contamination caused a generalized decline in the IQ of Europeans during the Roman Empire
Lead contamination has long been recognized as a significant public health hazard, even at low exposure levels. A recent ...
Did Climate Change Really Bring Down the Eastern Roman Empire?
Why empires fall is a question that fascinates many. But in the search for an answer, imagination can run wild. Suggestions ...