This striking 18th-century painting by Alessandro Magnasco captures a grim reality—poor indoor air quality from an open fire at the center of a crowded room. Centuries ago, smoke and soot were unavoidable hazards, leading to respiratory diseases and poor health.
Today, the fire is gone—but indoor air pollution remains. Instead of visible smoke, we now battle formaldehyde, ethylene oxide, and other airborne chemicals lurking in homes and workplaces. These modern pollutants are linked to asthma, cancer, and reproductive harm, yet they’re often undetectable without proper air testing.
What’s changed in 300 years? We have the knowledge and tools to monitor and improve indoor air quality—but awareness is still lacking. If we don’t see the danger, do we ignore it?
It’s time to bring indoor air quality into the public health conversation. Testing for airborne chemicals is as essential as monitoring nutrition and water quality. Let’s not wait centuries to act.
