Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Professor Frank Kelly explains how air pollution drives oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular damage, threatening long-term health and longevity.
At the Science Summit by The Longevity Forum, Prof. Frank Kelly, CBE (Imperial College London), delivers a rapid-fire session on why air quality is one of the most critical—and underestimated—determinants of healthy lifespan. Using the infamous 1952 Great London Smog as a starting point, he traces how pollutants like sulphur dioxide, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter trigger harmful free radical reactions in the lungs.
Drawing on decades of research, including pioneering human exposure studies, Prof. Kelly demonstrates how oxidative stress, antioxidant depletion, inflammation, and cellular damage contribute to reduced life expectancy worldwide. With clear visuals, historic context, and cutting-edge scientific insights, the talk shows how air pollution affects everyone—from UK cities to rapidly growing urban regions globally—and why understanding lung antioxidant defenses is essential for public health and longevity.
Professor Frank Kelly explains how air pollution drives oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular damage, threatening long-term health and longevity.
At the Science Summit by The Longevity Forum, Prof. Frank Kelly, CBE (Imperial College London), delivers a rapid-fire session on why air quality is one of the most critical—and underestimated—determinants of healthy lifespan. Using the infamous 1952 Great London Smog as a starting point, he traces how pollutants like sulphur dioxide, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter trigger harmful free radical reactions in the lungs.
Drawing on decades of research, including pioneering human exposure studies, Prof. Kelly demonstrates how oxidative stress, antioxidant depletion, inflammation, and cellular damage contribute to reduced life expectancy worldwide. With clear visuals, historic context, and cutting-edge scientific insights, the talk shows how air pollution affects everyone—from UK cities to rapidly growing urban regions globally—and why understanding lung antioxidant defenses is essential for public health and longevity.
