It was at this time that the fog-laden atmosphere of London portrayed vividly in the novels of Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle emerged. The increase of domestic fires and factory furnaces meant that polluted emissions surged considerably. This variety of fog later came to be known as smog (a merging of the words smoke and fog), a term invented by a Londoner in the early 20th century.Īir pollution reached a crisis in the 19th century with the spread of the Industrial Revolution and the rapid growth of the metropolis. These hazes were not natural formations of the atmosphere: water vapour would stick to particulates released by coal-burning factories, producing dark and heavy clouds that impaired visibility. Rapidly increasing industrialization that began in the late 1700s made conditions even worse. Complaints about smoke and pollution increased in the 1600s, when ultimately ineffective legislation was passed under King James I to restrict coal burning. But polluted fog was an issue in London as early as the 13th century, due to the burning of coal, and the situation only worsened as the city continued to expand. Known as “ pea-soupers” for their dense, yellow appearance, such all-encompassing fogs had became a hallmark of London by the 19th century. The phenomenon of “London fog” long predated the crisis of the early 1950s. Its consequences prompted the passing of the Clean Air Act four years later, which marked a turning point in the history of environmentalism. This combination of smoke and fog brought the city to a near standstill and resulted in thousands of deaths. Great Smog of London, lethal smog that covered the city of London for five days (December 5–9) in 1952, caused by a combination of industrial pollution and high- pressure weather conditions. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.Britannica Beyond We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.COVID-19 Portal While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.Student Portal Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more. Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.
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