innumeracy. “Why would it help to have an intuitive understanding of large quantities? You think it would help grasp situations where they’re used or something?”
Some scientist took to mapping IQ levels geographically and everyone who lives downwind of a small airport has a consistent and directly proportional drop to the average concentration of airborne lead for about 1-4 miles surrounding them. The drops in IQ even perfectly match the wind patterns. It’s insane. If you live really close to a small airport, pack up and move away.
It’s also crazy that they allowed small aircraft to get away with not having to follow the same fuel regulations, it’s really a small difference in cost, our politicians are just too bought out.
Edit: but also, the rest of us likely breathe it in as well, just not as much, and we haven’t figured out exactly how much; ostensibly because it spreads out too much and thus affects everyone more evenly. Yay “energy” corporations and capitalism.
get those engines modified so they do take unleaded, shit is bad for anyone breathing it
edit: also, I’m not sure I completely buy it. Lead was only picked as an additive because it was the cheapest available. Before it was even picked, there were other economically and mechanically viable alternatives. The commercial aircraft industry switched to a different additive seamlessly once lead was legislated away. The studies about this are abundant and easily found; sounds like some old farts just managed to squeeze by with a bogus excuse that no-one scrutinized.