Hay fever sufferers may want to stay indoors this weekend as forecasters warn of a ‘pollen bomb’ bringing with it some of the highest levels of tree pollen this year. The warning comes from Kleenex and Allergy UK, who have launched a new ‘Pollen Pal’ tool, giving a three day pollen count forecast to help … Read more
Scientists have discovered a 47-million-year-old fossilized fly with its stomach still full from its last meal. The previously unknown species was found frozen in rock sediment at the Messel Pit, a fertile fossil site in central Germany. Noticing its ‘bulging abdomen,’ researchers discovered the insect was filled with pollen from a variety of prehistoric plants. … Read more
Bad news for hay fever sufferers! Pollen seasons start 20 days earlier, are 10 days longer, and feature 21% more pollen than in 1990 – with climate change to blame Researchers analysed measurements taken from 60 pollen stations in the US The results revealed that pollen seasons today start around 20 days earlier They suggest … Read more
Pollen DNA is being studied by British scientists in a bid to identify which grasses cause severe hay fever It is impossible to tell pollen from different plants apart without looking at DNA Scientists are hoping to use pollen DNA to find which pollen causes hay fever Analysing 40 species of grass, including cocksfoot, Timothy … Read more
Flowers are budding and temperatures are rising, which can only mean one thing: allergy season is upon us. Several states including Illinois, North Carolina and Tennessee are already reporting increases in patients complaining of itching, watering eyes, sneezing and coughing. Meteorologists are predicting that 2019 may be the worst year ever for allergies and the … Read more
Spring rain DOESN’T ‘clear the air’ of pollen and can actually aggravate hayfever by causing grains to shatter into smaller pieces that can remain airborne for up to 11 hours Up to 1.3 million fragments of pollen per metre of air were detected after rainfall Elevation was found by measuring pollen after storms between April … Read more
Hayfever may be in the mind… not your nose: Sufferers can have allergic reactions even if there’s no pollen around, study finds US and German scientists find test subjects sneezed even when pollen was low Harvard Medical School and German university find smell can create symptoms ‘Psychological factor may make hayfever a little worse’ – … Read more
A mother has revealed how her baby girl nearly died twice after a pollen allergy triggered life-threatening asthma attacks. Lottie Provis was found blue, lifeless and choking on her own vomit in her cot by her parents Kate, 26, and Steve, 31, when she was 18 months old in May 2015. She was given hours … Read more