All posts tagged: air quality

xAI Adds 19 New Gas Turbines Despite Ongoing Lawsuit

xAI Adds 19 New Gas Turbines Despite Ongoing Lawsuit

Published by skeptic

xAI has added 19 natural gas turbines to its second data center campus in Southhaven, Mississippi, over the past two months, according to internal emails seen by WIRED. The additions come as xAI is fighting a lawsuit from the NAACP and several environmental groups, alleging that the company is violating the Clean Air Act by operating more than two dozen natural gas turbines at the site without appropriate air permits. Emails between an official in the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and a representative from Trinity Consultants, obtained via a public records request by the Southern Environmental Law Center and shared with WIRED, show that xAI installed 19 portable gas turbines on its site in Southaven between late March and early May. That brings the total to 46 turbines operating at the site. A spreadsheet included in the email to MDEQ has a column labeled “Total Power Output” that appears to list the megawatt capacity of each turbine on the site. xAI appears to have added more than 500 megawatts of natural gas turbines since …

Coway Airmega Mighty2 Review: The Sequel Is Better Than the Original

Coway Airmega Mighty2 Review: The Sequel Is Better Than the Original

Published by skeptic

The Mighty2 has a built-in AQI (air quality index) monitor and a MegaScan laser sensor to automatically detect three distinct air particle sizes: bacteria and microplastics; fumes, smoke, allergens, and fine dust; and dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and mold. The monitor can quantify in real time how much pollution is in the air, including large and ultrafine particles. Coway uses its own air-quality color-coding system, but the Mighty2 uses different colors from the OG Mighty model. Now the air quality light flashes blue for clean air, green for moderate, orange for unhealthy, and red for very unhealthy. Coway’s color-coding system is a bit confusing, considering that it differs from the US air quality index standards of green for good, red for unhealthy, and purple for very unhealthy. At a glance, I was often confused by what the color was signifying about my home’s air. Using the built-in air sensors, the Mighty2 automatically adjusts its fan speed (in auto mode) to most effectively purify the air in response to air quality changes. Photograph: Molly Higgins When I …

The Iran War Is Impacting the Environment in Unseen Ways

The Iran War Is Impacting the Environment in Unseen Ways

Published by skeptic

War had already darkened Tehran’s skies by March 8. When rain began to fall, residents said it was thick, foul-smelling and dark in color. Some described it as black rain, coating streets, rooftops, and cars in sootlike residue. That night, Israel had struck more than 30 oil facilities in Iran. The scale of the attacks and the fires that followed were so significant that US officials later questioned their strategic rationale. But the damage has not stopped there. From smoke over Fujairah and oil risks in Gulf waters to burned farmland and contamination fears in southern Lebanon, the environmental toll of conflict is spreading across the wider region. A growing body of open-source evidence, satellite imagery, social media footage, and official statements points to an unfolding ecological crisis across Iran, the Gulf, and Lebanon. The picture emerging is a multifront assault on the environment: on land, at sea, and in the air. Some impacts are visible in smoke, spills, and rubble. Others are harder to see. The first two weeks of the war alone unleashed …

Della Optima TP Series Mini-Split AC Review: Cheap, Smart, and (Mostly) Reliable

Della Optima TP Series Mini-Split AC Review: Cheap, Smart, and (Mostly) Reliable

Published by skeptic

Ductless mini-split air-conditioners have risen in popularity dramatically in recent years. One study now pegs their domestic market share at more than 40 percent compared to larger-scale HVAC units—and the smaller systems are even more popular in Asia and Europe than in the US. Mini-splits make a compelling climate control solution for a number of reasons. They are much smaller and easier to install than HVAC systems, they’re far less expensive, and they’re quiet. Many are sold at big-box stores and online, and enterprising DIYers can certainly install one without professional help, provided they have the required electrical connections. (Some mini-splits operate on 115 volts, but others require 220-volt wiring, which will likely mean a call to an electrician.) They’re also increasingly outfitted with smart features like mobile app support, tricks that you can’t do on HVAC units without a fancy thermostat. Photograph: Chris Null Bringing in the Pros Della invited me to test its Optima 048-TP-12K1V-23S-IN mini-split, which offers 12,000 BTU of cooling and 12,400 BTU of heating capacity. Maximum power draw is 960 …

The 11 Best Fans to Buy Before It Gets Hot Again (2026)

The 11 Best Fans to Buy Before It Gets Hot Again (2026)

Published by skeptic

Vornado Box Fan Model 80X for $100: While most people who need a box fan are, frankly, going to run out to Walmart or Home Depot and grab one for 20 bucks, you should be aware that there exists a Rolls-Royce of box fans. “It has 99 speeds,” the brand’s rep told me when it came out. “Yeah, right,” I thought. But, sure enough, this thing actually has 99 speeds, accessible via up and down buttons. I have no idea under what circumstances one might need this many speeds, but there they are. It’s also got a kickstand to reduce wobbling, a digital display, and a 1-to-12-hour timer. Plus, the silver-and-black casing looks good—like you meant to have it in your house, not a remnant from that one summer your AC broke during a heat wave. Photograph: Kat Merck Shark TurboBlade (Bladeless) for $250: Though this 2025 blade-less model is billed as a tower fan, it doesn’t look or act like any tower fan I’ve ever seen. It evokes a windmill more than it does …

Our 7 Favorite Humidifiers for Home, Travel & More (2026)

Our 7 Favorite Humidifiers for Home, Travel & More (2026)

Published by skeptic

Compare Our Picks Recommended With Reservations Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro Carepod Mini for $150: When turned on, the Carepod Mini looks like a Brita Filter that’s also an electric tea kettle. And you’ll think this too because of the Carepod’s unique oscillator that moves the water around inside the clear plastic tank. And unlike the larger stainless steel parts of the larger Carepod models, the Carepod Mini is not dishwasher safe. However, like all Carepod models, the Mini doesn’t have a filter because Carepod recommends using filtered water, putting the water-purifying duties on the user. I would prefer a model with a filter option. Still, the Mini is easy to clean with mild soap and water, unlike some humidifiers that require special descaling solutions. I like what Carepod is trying to do in the humidifier market space, but I almost tipped the whole thing over when I instinctively picked it up by the handle that only lifts up the top part. Still, I found the percolating water effect to be soothing and it does a …

16 Best Air Purifiers (2026): Coway, AirDoctor, IQAir

16 Best Air Purifiers (2026): Coway, AirDoctor, IQAir

Published by skeptic

Compare Our Picks Recommended With Reservations Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro BlueAir PetAir Pro for $500: As the owner of two cats, I really wanted to love Blueair’s PetAir Pro, a new addition to the growing market of pet-pitched air purifiers. The PetAir promises a unique pet-owner experience. It has a Pet Mode that senses when the pet is on the purifier, which quiets the fan speed and actual air cleaning capacity. It also has a pull-out prefilter that collects pet hair, an H13 HEPA, and a carbon activated filter to capture VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and odors. There’s even a storage space for toys. There are several things to consider regarding the PetAir. At less than 10 inches high, it sits at the ground level. If you’re looking for a pet-specific air purifier, then the fan/airflow placement might be ideal, and it can also effectively clean the air with the recommended five air exchanges per hour in a 260 square-foot-room. I prefer taller models, as they seem to react more quickly to air pollutants higher …

Burtran Nano-Oxy Smart Air Purifier: Safe Sleep?

Burtran Nano-Oxy Smart Air Purifier: Safe Sleep?

Published by skeptic

I’m happy to report that Burtran’s claim was correct—its operation did not result in a spike of radioactivity. My entire apartment was measuring around 20 clicks per minute, or CPM—for context, 5-50 CPM is normal background. It’s when the number hits over 2,000 that the GQ GMC Geiger Counter Nuclear Radiation Safety Guide says to evacuate and report it to the government. Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro Filter Fortitude Burtran also claims that, with its beefed-up HEPA 14 filters, the Nano-Oxy “captures 99.995 percent of ultra-fine particles down to 0.1 micron, surpassing HEPA 13 efficiency by up to 90 percent.” HEPA is an acronym for “high-efficiency particulate air.” The number that follows HEPA is the MERV rating, or minimum efficiency reporting value, which measures a filter’s ability to capture particles between 0.3 and 10 microns. As the EPA explains, “The higher the MERV rating, the better the filter is at trapping specific types of particles.” There’s a catch to all that density, though—in certain appliances, MERV 14 can restrict airflow. For example, DIY air purifiers like …