"Generation Lead", by The Why Axis

Posted in r/dataisbeautiful by u/tomveiltomveil • 2,618 points and 178 comments

reddit
@scottgal what happened in 1975 that it doesn't fit the rest of the trend?
@http_error_418 No idea but there was an Oil embargo 1973-74, maybe just less oil use?
@scottgal I am somewhat suspicious of the levels for older folks... mostly because of survivor bias as I suspect higher lead concentrations may lead to higher mortality rates.
@wordshaper Seems it's not that great a study once you read it. It's more inferred than measure directly.
@scottgal had to process this for a minute before realizing it means the metal/element. I was feeling "lead generation" as in advertising/marketing, and honestly it doesn't feel wrong either.
@scottgal We are the last of the lead generations I guess. I assume boomers have even more lead than we do 😭​
@mdfranz Car use and hence the releae of lead only really happened post-WWII and really picked up in the mid-late 60s. They got the start of but we got the brunt.
@scottgal I was thinking about all the lead paint before the 1970s.
@mdfranz Even then it didn' t compare with the tons of ethyl lead being pumped into the air close to the level of kid's mouths for YEARS. Even lead pipes didn't lead to anywhere near the bioaccumulation of lead that burining leaded petrol had.

@scottgal Always feels jarring to see dire shit like this a place called "data is beautiful."

I mean, I guess the visualization is nice, but, uh, yeah.

@scottgal no wonder we’re so damn tired

@scottgal

really glad, as a millennial, that they kept most of the lead out of my blood to save room for the microplastics

@scottgal Май сме на ръба на оловните войници. 😁