I don't like this story very much. The fact is, I already suffer from terrible allergies. I know, I know, I should go have the shots done. I started it once, but stopped going in when I moved to Europe, where I only had problems with allergies in Denmark for a few days and Brussels for a few weeks. Never had any symptoms in the Netherlands or Wales. Why is that? Cooler? Wetter? Close to the ocean? They've not been too bad in California either, but better closer to the coast than away from it. Anyway, I've had allergies all my life to a wide al le carte of pollens. I finally went in about ten years ago and had the test taken where they do about 40 pricks on your back to test how allergic you are to certain allergens, and well, 38 out of 40 showed up as above average. Man o man. And my wife wants to get a cat? She's seriously trying to kill me.

So, back to this story. Gives me a headache and watery eyes just thinking about it. I'll have to move to the North of South Pole ...

In 2000, researchers at the USDA published the results of a study to test the effects of increased CO2 on pollen production in ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia). They exposed ragweed specimens to differing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide: 280 ppm (historical), 370 ppm (current), and 600 ppm (predicted). What they found makes me want to sneeze. Pollen production increased from 5.5 grams, to 10 grams to 20 grams respectively. According to the researchers, pollen production rose almost 400% with a 200% increase in CO2.

A study conducted by researchers at Harvard University in 2002 has produced similar results. According to the Harvard study, ragweed grown at 700 ppm CO2 produced 61 percent more pollen when compared to ragweed grown at 350 ppm.