Air Almanac
How has estimated US particulate exposure changed over time?
Data illustration, not an app screenshot. Snapshot retrieved 2026-09-07T16:37:13+00:00. Open the template for refreshed data.
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In the app: Templates → Featured → Air Almanac. The app catalog version is signed and unlocks the template’s controls; manual file imports may require Control Pack for some controls.
Try it in 60 seconds
- Read the question. Check the source response and retrieval time before trusting any reading.
- Compare the color pattern, then open Explore for exact values.
- Tap either reading card to reveal what it means. Open Explore for another view and the source records.
- Find the observation time. Country-level annual exposure estimate. Not a current local reading or a personal health recommendation.
The idea worth keeping
An annual record needs an observation year; a heatmap shows change without implying live sensor readings.
A short script you can read aloud
“How has estimated US particulate exposure changed over time? This layout starts with that question, not a wall of controls. The data comes from World Bank WDI / IHME / GBD Collaborator Network. Compare the color pattern, then open Explore for exact values. The reading cards tell you what to notice; turn one over when you need context. An annual record needs an observation year; a heatmap shows change without implying live sensor readings. One important limit: Country-level annual exposure estimate. Not a current local reading or a personal health recommendation.”
Suggested animation scene
Start with one labeled observation. Arrange the observations into cells; fade in the color scale only after the audience knows what one cell means.
Storyboard: 0–8 seconds, ask the question. 8–25 seconds, introduce one observation. 25–45 seconds, perform the gesture above. 45–60 seconds, show the timestamp and limitation. Keep labels readable, offer a reduced-motion cut, and use actual source values or a clearly marked replay.
How this becomes a layout
The provider publishes data → a small read-only adapter selects and names the useful fields → CAR-TER controls bind to those fields. All controls in this template share one endpoint. Polling is cached for 86400 seconds; that is a retrieval interval, not a promise that the source updates that often.
Remix exercise
Duplicate this layout. Keep the source and units unchanged, but replace the primary visualization with the alternative in Explore, or move the record list above it. Ask a new reader which arrangement answers the opening question faster. Changing location or query parameters requires a new allowlisted server-side source, not an unwired selector.
Source, rights and limitations
World Bank WDI / IHME / GBD Collaborator Network · Exact upstream query · Usage terms / attribution
CC BY 4.0 via World Bank WDI; underlying source: GBD 2023 Air Pollution Exposure Estimates, IHME / GBD Collaborator Network. Adapted into annual charts.
Country-level annual exposure estimate. Not a current local reading or a personal health recommendation.
This is a selected result window, not a full archive. Missing numbers are not replaced with zero. Lines connect available observations; consult records for gaps. A green READY badge means the last retrieval succeeded, not that the underlying observation is recent. STALE means a retained prior response; UNAVAILABLE means no usable cached response. If your device goes offline, check the displayed retrieval time: the last screen can remain visible.
Open-data and publicly accessible API are different promises. This collection labels each source’s conditions; it does not assert that every provider’s database or API is open-source software.