Major fossil fuel linked to ALS, new study finds

A major pollutant from mining fossil fuels has been linked to an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to new research. Longterm exposure to sulfur dioxide, a component produced by the combustion of oil-based fuel and coal, is associated with the development of the neurodegenerative disease, a paper published in Environmental Research found. The study began after healthcare workers at a provincial ALS clinic in New Brunswick, Canada, had been noticing a higher incidence rate of patients in the region, lead author Daniel Saucier, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec and lead author of the paper, told ABC News. "If there's so many cases in New Brunswick, you know, what's going on? What's causing it?" asked Saucier, who had just finish