It was during the period known as the Pax Romana, a time of stability in the Roman Empire that lasted for about two hundred years between 27 BC and 192 AD. Mining and smelting operations throughout Europe were likely a a source of lead contamination,

Researchers measured lead pollution and its impact on human health through Arctic ice-core samples. View on euronews

A new study turned to Arctic ice core records between 500 BCE through 600 CE to find a link between lead pollution and widespread health decline in the Ancient Roman Empire, which most likely lowered the IQs of 80 million people.

"A 2 to 3 points lower IQ doesn't sound like much, but when you apply that to the entire European population, it's quite a lot."

Two thousand years ago, the Roman Empire hummed with activity. Roads stretched like arteries, connecting distant provinces. Mines yielded treasures buried deep in the earth, and smelters worked tirelessly to transform raw silver ore into the coins that fueled an empire.

Lead exposure has left its toxic fingerprints all over history. We’ve come a long way in reducing its presence, but […]