February 6, 2026
Hair today, lead gone tomorrow
A century of hair samples proves leaded gas ban worked
Hair tests show unleaded saved brains — commenters cry “dupe” and joke about “trad-gas”
TLDR: A century of hair tests shows lead levels plunged after leaded gas was banned, backing up the power of past regulations. Commenters split between dupe-calling, cheering the data, and joking about a future “trad-gas” influencer craze, turning a public health win into meme-fueled debate about rules and nostalgia.
The science is clear, but the comments are louder. A new study looked at nearly a century of human hair and found a whopping 100x drop in lead levels after the US cracked down on leaded gasoline and paint in the 1970s. Translation: unleaded didn’t just help engines — it helped brains. But on cue, the community split into three loud camps: the Dupe Police, the Regulation Realists, and the Meme Lords.
One early reply waved the orange flag with a curt “[dupe]” and a link, kicking off the classic meta-drama: is this news new, or just new to you? Meanwhile, regulation defenders pointed to the hair data as Exhibit A that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did something right — and worried about any future softening of rules on lead pipes. Others poked at the politics, noting the study’s timing alongside chatter about enforcement rollbacks.
Then came the comedy. One commenter imagined a “trad-gas influencer” wave — a parody of nostalgic throwbacks where leaded fuel is marketed like artisan sourdough. The joke spiraled into a faux manifesto about “surplus IQ,” roasting the idea that clean gas somehow broke engines or society. It’s peak Internet: hard evidence meets hard memes, with a side of history’s favorite villain (Thomas Midgley Jr., the guy behind leaded gas and CFCs) and hero (Clair Patterson, the scientist who fought to get lead out), all wrapped in hair samples and hot takes.
Key Points
- •University of Utah researchers analyzed human hair samples across nearly 100 years and found a 100-fold decrease in lead levels.
- •The decline is attributed to EPA regulations from the 1970s targeting leaded gasoline and lead-based products.
- •Findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
- •Authors raised concerns about potential weakening of enforcement for the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule on lead pipe replacement.
- •Co-author Thure Cerling emphasized that environmental regulations have produced significant public health benefits.