Google Maps Adds Air Quality Index to Help Users Decide Where to Go and Avoid Places With High Pollution Level

The most recent Google Maps update will now help people where to get fresh air. The most current version adds a new layer of data that shows users an area's most recent air quality index rating.

Employees from Google Maps and Google Search introduced a new feature to track this parameter in a blog post published on June 8.

According to Google (per Popular Science), the data comes from government organizations such as the EPA and third-party sources such as PurpleAir, which has its own system of hyper-local sensors.

Marca added that the new feature is only available in the United States for now. The service might become worldwide in the future, allowing mobile users to check the local air quality in their area using data given by local partners.

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Google Maps Now Add Air Quality Layer Feature

Despite the abundance of tourist attractions in many regions, some individuals are unaware that the area they visit has a very high pollution level.

People should only breathe clean air, but they won't know if it's safe to do so unless they use a piece of competent equipment to monitor the air's quality.

Checking the air quality around your home is as simple as a few clicks on your smartphone. XDA Developers mentioned users may now check the air quality index (AQI) using Google Maps to make better judgments while going outside.

Google Maps has a new tool that might assist you in determining how long you want to spend outside. You may learn more about a specific geographic place by looking at the Air Quality Index.

When you zoom out, you may get a better look at the AQI in a larger region. You may zoom in even further to better understand the nearby attractions.

Need a breath of fresh air? Google has you covered.

Using data gathered from agencies like the EPA, Google Maps now displays an Air Quality Index (AQI) overlay on the map grid to show how healthy the air in the area is. pic.twitter.com/S9GTOCs5f8
— Morning Brew ☕️ (@MorningBrew) June 9, 2022

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How to Add This Feature to Your Smart Gadgets

According to GSM Arena, you can just click the button in the upper right corner of your screen to add the air quality layer to the map.

You may then begin tapping on Air Quality. It's just under the Map Details section. PurpleAir data may also be accessed through smart home speakers like Nest.

Air quality monitoring stations are shown as tiny bubbles. You may look at an area's air quality score to determine whether or not the air is safe to breathe.

Google Maps may also be used to locate wildfires in the region. To make this possible, Google teamed with the National Interagency Fire Center NIFC.

Simply input "wildfires around me" to begin utilizing this tool, and the data will appear on the screen. You may also view data on the impacted location's air quality.

How Air Quality Affects Your Lungs, Brain

Google Maps has officially released the feature ahead of new research demonstrating how air quality affects more than just your lungs.

According to News4Jax, more than 8,500 people's records were examined by researchers from the University of Arizona and the University of Southern California. They studied their exercise routines, brain scans, and local pollution levels.

Compared to persons who never exercised hard, those who actively worked out in places with less air pollution had significant volumes of healthy gray matter and a low prevalence of white matter lesions.

Lesions in the white matter are linked to an increased risk of stroke, cognitive impairment, and depression.

However, the clear correlations disappeared when exercisers resided in places with even modest air pollution.

Researchers discovered that people who exercised in more polluted locations had a less gray matter and more white matter lesions than those who exercised in less polluted areas, despite their workouts being equivalent.

When exercising outside, experts advise avoiding major highways and checking the air quality index before venturing out.