Air pollution isn't just bad for human health; it also poses an existential threat to certain fly species.
New research from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology found that elevated ozone levels inhibit mating among flies.
Ozone in the stratosphere helps protect the Earth from dangerous UV radiation. But down here, the gas is a threat to our health, food supply, and biodiversity. The latter is apparent in this recent study, which found that ozone exposure significantly degrades fly pheromones.
When this happens, male and female flies have a hard time recognizing each other, renderi