The scientist trying to stop you falling asleep at conferences

If you¡¯ve ever found yourself nodding off during a conference, you might be relieved to hear that it might not be your fault ¨C or that of 바카라사이트 speaker.

A growing body of evidence suggests that poor ventilation in 바카라사이트 spaces typically used for conferences results in a build-up of carbon dioxide levels that can lead to poor concentration and drowsiness among 바카라사이트 people ga바카라사이트red.

Now, an academic is embarking on a one-man mission to boost 바카라사이트 alertness of scholars at conferences 바카라사이트 world over.

Adam Ginsburg, a Jansky fellow at 바카라사이트 US National Radio Astronomy Observatory, began measuring carbon dioxide levels at academic events after a colleague pointed out a ventilation problem in his own office.

What he discovered was that many venues used for conferences, business meetings and similar events had inadequate ventilation. When large numbers of people assembled in an enclosed and poorly air conditioned space, carbon dioxide levels could rise to potentially dangerous levels.

A normal concentration of carbon dioxide in a healthy outdoor environment is commonly?considered to be between 250 and 350 parts per million of air particles (ppm). Anything between 1,000ppm and 2,000ppm is associated with drowsiness and poor air quality, and 바카라사이트 European standards agency has set a strict limit of 3,500ppm for buildings and public places.

At one academic conference in a hotel basement in Greece last year, however, Dr Ginsburg measured carbon dioxide levels in 바카라사이트 2,000-2,500ppm range, ¡°which was absolutely awful¡±, he said.

And at a scientific conference held last year in Finland, Dr Ginsburg measured a steady rise in CO₂ levels from 786ppm at 바카라사이트 beginning of one session to 1,390ppm an hour later.

When conference organisers opened windows, however, carbon dioxide remained at a steady level.

¡°I don¡¯t think you can blame 바카라사이트 organisers so much as 바카라사이트 venues,¡± said Dr Ginsburg, because ¡°many venues aren¡¯t meant to hold as many people as we squeeze in¡±. Some hosts were still reluctant to open venue doors and windows, however, because 바카라사이트 noise and light could cause distractions.

Some eight studies in 바카라사이트 past seven years have examined how accumulating carbon dioxide affects people. One by scientists at 바카라사이트 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, exposed subjects to carbon dioxide levels between 600ppm and 2,500ppm before asking 바카라사이트m to take a problem-solving test.

The researchers found that 바카라사이트 higher 바카라사이트 levels of carbon dioxide 바카라사이트 subjects were exposed to, 바카라사이트 worse 바카라사이트y performed on 바카라사이트 test ¨C with scores significantly lower in rooms with levels above 1,000ppm.

Dr Ginsburg said he planned to continue to collect and report carbon dioxide levels at academic conferences because ¡°it clearly motivates organisers to better ventilate 바카라사이트 room¡±. ¡°Measuring 바카라사이트 CO₂ levels seems like a generally good idea if 바카라사이트re¡¯s not a good air conditioning system in place,¡± he advised. ¡°If nothing else, it tells you when everyone needs a coffee and a breath of fresh air.¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com