Days after walking out from Nikhil Kamath’s podcast over bad AQI, Bryan Johnson, the tech entrepreneur and longevity advocate, has voiced his support for Indians who are “justifiably outraged” by the daily exposure to dangerously poor air quality, which leads to severe health consequences.

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Johnson shared a groundbreaking study that underscores the far-reaching effects of air pollution, including liver inflammation, fibrosis, blood fat imbalances, and gene dysregulation linked to cancer. The study reinforces the alarming truth that there is no safe level of PM2.5 exposure.

This comes days after Johnson, known for his work in anti-ageing research, made headlines for walking out of a podcast with Zerodha CEO Nikhil Kamath, citing pollution as the reason.

The research, conducted on mice, revealed that prolonged exposure to low levels of traffic-related PM2.5 pollutants over 12 weeks caused liver inflammation, fibrosis, and blood fat imbalances, he said. Additionally, the mice exhibited liver protein markers associated with alcoholism and gene dysregulation linked to cancer. These findings highlight the systemic damage caused by air pollution, extending far beyond the lungs and respiratory system.

Sharing the details, he said PM2.5, or particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres, is a notorious air pollutant commonly emitted by traffic and combustion engines. These tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and wreak havoc on multiple organs.

To simulate real-world conditions, researchers collected PM2.5 particles from busy roadsides and introduced them into the nasal passages of mice via a saline solution. A control group was exposed to a pollutant-free solution for comparison.

The study serves as a stark reminder that air pollution has no safe threshold and must be treated as a critical public health priority. For heavily polluted regions like India, addressing air quality could add more years to average life expectancy than curing all cancers combined. The research also provides mechanistic evidence of how air pollution causes widespread damage to the body.

Johnson also shared practical tips to minimize personal exposure to PM2.5:

1. Monitor Air Quality: Use platforms like IQ Air or carry a personal air quality monitor.
2. Wear N95 Masks: Essential in highly polluted environments.
3. Upgrade Home HVAC Systems: Install filters with a MERV 13 rating or higher.
4. Use Car Air Recirculation: Activate it on polluted roads, but limit full recirculation to short durations to avoid CO2 buildup.
5. Opt for Partial Recirculation: If available, this mode reduces PM2.5 while maintaining safe CO2 levels.
6. Invest in HEPA Filters: Ideal for homes in high-traffic or wildfire-prone areas.

Johnson’s post has reignited the conversation about air pollution’s devastating impact, urging governments and individuals to take immediate action to combat this invisible yet deadly threat.

Actor Pooja Hegde has been actively promoting her new film, Deva, where she stars alongside Shahid Kapoor. However, her remarks regarding her 2020 film, Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, which featured Allu Arjun, have sparked confusion and anger online. Pooja referred to Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo as a Tamil film rather than a pan-India film. Directed by Trivikram Srinivas, the movie was primarily in Telugu and achieved significant box office success.

In an interview with ANI, while promoting Deva, she stated, “Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo is actually a Tamil film; it was not a pan-India film. But, people watched it in Hindi. So, if the work is good, it will reach people.”

The internet’s reaction to her comments was overwhelmingly negative, with fans expressing their disappointment on social media.

Many criticized Pooja for her seemingly ignorant comment and for lacking respect for the industry despite her involvement in it. One user remarked, “Tollywood should boycott such actresses. Give more chances to our Telugu actresses.”

Another added, “Even if it was a slip of the tongue, it’s a serious mistake for a South Indian actress, especially about her own project!” Comments included remarks like “Urvashi 2.0,” referencing Urvashi Rautela, as well as suggestions that she confused Tollywood with the Tamil film industry.

One user quipped, “She must have forgotten the hero’s name.” Another expressed frustration: “This is not at all correct; when you are working here, you should at least know that.”

Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, written and directed by Trivikram Srinivas, featured an ensemble cast including Allu Arjun, Pooja Hegde, Tabu, Jayaram, Sushanth, and Nivetha Pethuraj. Produced by Allu Aravind and S. Radha Krishna, the film became the second highest-grossing Indian film of 2020 and won the National Award for Best Music Direction. A Hindi remake titled Shehzada, starring Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon, was released in 2022.

Rashid Khan, long considered one of the most captivating players in T20 cricket, has now achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the all-time leading wicket-taker in the format. The 26-year-old Afghanistan wrist-spinner surpassed Dwayne Bravo’s record of 631 wickets by bowling out Dunith Wellalage during the SA20 Qualifier 1 against Paarl Royals on Tuesday.

“It’s a tremendous achievement,” Rashid remarked to the host broadcaster following his team’s victory. “I never imagined this would happen; if you had asked me ten years ago if I would reach this point, I would have been surprised. It fills me with pride to represent Afghanistan at such a prestigious level. DJ [Bravo] is one of the finest T20 bowlers, so it’s a great honour, and I look forward to building on this success.”

Rashid made his T20 debut as a teenager in October 2015 and is now nearing the milestone of 500 matches, having become a highly sought-after player in various leagues across the globe. He has clinched an IPL title and a PSL title, and has become a household name in Adelaide, where he played 69 matches for the Strikers, including a standout performance of 6 wickets for 17 runs.

His capability to bowl quickly while keeping the stumps in play has made Rashid an exceptionally challenging bowler to face. Batters struggles to predict the direction of his deliveries, giving them little time to adjust or clues about his next move. As a result, teams often opted to defend against him, avoiding high-risk shots. Rashid has claimed four or more wickets in 20 different innings, but his defining skill lies in his ability to maintain stringent control over the opposition’s scoring.

In an interview with The Cricket Monthly last year, Rashid shared that wickets aren’t his primary focus: “If someone is aggressive against me, I’m intent on making it extremely difficult for them. If they manage to hit a good shot, that’s just well played, but I won’t let up on the pressure. My aim is to continually complicate things for the batter.”

As he has gained experience from competing in leagues like The Hundred, CPL, and BPL, Rashid’s batting has also evolved. He is known for his ability to hit sixes right from the start and has a unique shot called the “snake shot,” where he gets under a yorker-length delivery and whips his wrists to create a whip-like effect. His all-around talent was on display during the IPL 2018 playoffs when he scored 34 runs off just 10 balls to guide Sunrisers Hyderabad to a total of 170 and later helped defend it by taking 3 wickets for 19 runs and executing two catches.

Demonstrating his value, his current IPL team, Gujarat Titans, retained him for INR 15 crore (approximately USD 1.8 million).