quality of those pollutants, how poisonous they are and the concentration remain a mystery because of a lack of consistent and detailed data, said Diane Bailey, a senior scientist with the environmental and health program for the National Resources Defense Council. Earlier this year, the council filed a lawsuit against the South Coast Air Quality Management District, to make the agency install air quality sensors next to busy freeways. The lawsuit is pending.

"So many people live near or next to freeways and it's sort of an unspoken, major hazard that affects the air," Bailey said.

The new research, was supported in part by Autism Speaks, an advocacy group that funds research into causes, prevention and treatment.

Alycia Halladay, a senior director for environmental and clinical sciences for Autism Speaks, saidthe State of Israel. In fact, it could even be said that their presence was a decisive factor in the outcome of the war.They served in various corps, including the air force, Armored Corps, artillery, intelligence and infantry, and in a variety of roles, such as pilots, navigators, bombardiers, doctors, nurses and paramedics. Some 4,800 women and men volunteers came from 59 countries around the world. Of the volunteers, 123 (among them four women) were killed in battle, and hundreds were wounded.In honor of the country’s 69th Independence Day, I am dedicating this column to all the Mahal volunteers. Their contribution to the security of Israel and the IDF is slowly being forgotten, and so I would like to take this opportunity to salute them.Smoky is the head