Scientists have found the cleanest place on Earth!
A team of experts from Colorado State University has discovered a territory that contains no traceable aerosols or other human-generated particles. Scientists have no doubt – this is the cleanest place on Earth! Where is?
Researchers first chose the area they considered least affected by humans and continental dust – the Antarctic region. Then they went on a research cruise. They sailed out into the Southern Ocean, crossing the parallel of 40 degrees south latitude, to measure the composition of the air at several points over the ocean.
They made measurements of the air in the boundary layer, i.e. the lowest part of the atmosphere that is in direct contact with the ocean surface, and its height reaches up to 1.2 km.
“We used airborne bacteria over the Southern Ocean as a diagnostic tool to infer key properties of the lower atmosphere. The overall conclusion is that the skies over the Southern Ocean are one of the few places on Earth that have been minimally affected by human activities, said Thomas Hill, co-author of the study.
No aerosols or other particles that were related to pollution caused by human activities were found in the samples.
The previous location considered to have the cleanest air in the world was identified by scientists in 2019. It was hailed as the coast of Tasmania, specifically the northern end of the Southern Ocean, which is located next to it.