A UCL-led study, published in JACC, details how living near airports and exposure to high aircraft noise can deteriorate heart function, increasing risks of heart attacks, arrhythmias, and strokes. The research, analyzing MRI scans of 3,635 residents near major UK airports, found that higher noise exposure led to thicker, stiffer heart muscles, particularly affecting those exposed at night, potentially due to impaired sleep. This condition could quadruple the risk of major cardiac events. While the study is observational, it underscores growing evidence of aircraft noise's adverse health effects, necessitating governmental and industrial actions to mitigate noise exposure.