A visitor to the Forbidden City wears a mask amid heavy smog in Beijing.

A man transports a couch through the dense smog.

A man takes a stroll through the smog.

People walk over a Beijing pedestrian bridge.

Adding to the pollution? A man smokes near the Forbidden City.

The China Central Television building is (barely) seen next to a construction site.

A Beijing resident attempts to juggle in the thick air.

The air in Beijing is basically unbreathable now

1/14/2013

Being the world's factory has turned China into a superpower — but it's come at a cost. The air in Beijing is now so bad that inhaling it is considered a health hazard, and it's even hazy indoors. Over the weekend, pollution particles exceeded what the World Health Organization deems to be unsafe by up to 32 times. An unofficial reading taken at the U.S. embassy recorded a lung-busting 800 micrograms of crud per cubic meter (35 cubic feet). According to WHO guidelines, the number of PM2.5 particles shouldn't be higher than 25. Coal dust and car fumes are said to be the main causes. If reading that doesn't scare you, perhaps the pictures shown in this gallery will. [Source]

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