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Air Pollution Levels Down Only Slightly Since The Coronavirus : Short Wave An NPR analysis of a key air pollutant showed levels have not changed dramatically since the pandemic curbed car traffic in the U.S. NPR science reporter Rebecca Hersher and NPR climate correspondent Lauren Sommer explain why — and what really makes our air dirty.

Here's their story.

Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

Short Wave

The Pandemic Cut Down Car Traffic. Why Not Air Pollution?

The Pandemic Cut Down Car Traffic. Why Not Air Pollution?

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A mostly empty highway through downtown Los Angeles on April 7. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

A mostly empty highway through downtown Los Angeles on April 7.

Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

An NPR analysis of a key air pollutant showed levels have not changed dramatically since the pandemic curbed car traffic in the U.S. NPR science reporter Rebecca Hersher and NPR climate correspondent Lauren Sommer explain why — and what really makes our air dirty.

Here's their story.

Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Brent Baughman, edited by Viet Le, and fact-checked by Emily Vaughn.