Rewind: Bigger, faster, more toxic — Poison ivy is thriving

Team Common is currently working on our transition to a weekly show. We’ll be back this summer with new episodes. In the meantime, here’s one from our archives.

Poison ivy seems to be booming, and researchers think climate change could be to blame. As carbon dioxide levels increase and temperatures warm, this toxic vine is not only getting bigger and growing faster, but the plant's oil, which causes allergic reactions in about 80% of the population, is becoming more plentiful and increasingly potent.

In this episode, WBUR Senior Health and Science Reporter Gabrielle Emanuel joins The Common to discuss the troubling tie between human-caused climate change and the rise of poison ivy.

Think you know poison ivy? Test your knowledge with Gabrielle's poison ivy quiz! 

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