Strange Environmental Fact #1: The Great Smog

You know the “London fog” doesn't really refer to fog? Their “fog” came in a variety of colors, like reddish brown and yellow. That's because it's really smog from industrialization. One time, in 1952, this pollution was so bad that it killed around 12,000 people.

The Great Smog of 1952 happened during a cold snap. To warm up, residents burned huge quantities of coal to power household stoves. This pollution, added to the cumulative emissions of factories, stayed close to the ground, trapped by the warmer air above. It stayed there for five days.

This haziness is not an ancient Instagram filter

Not only was it very hard to breathe, it was hard to see. Visibility dropped from 4 yards to “nil.” People abandoned their cars and walked. Two trains collided. People stayed indoors.

Generally, Londoners were not too worried about the smog. The Times claimed the smog was naturally occurring and as old as Britain itself.

It was not until later that the death toll was announced. Around 4,000 people died during the Smog, while around 8,000 more died soon after.

This was one of the first environmental disasters that caused people to take pollution seriously. Soon after, the British government enacted the Clean Air Act of 1956.