These findings... for the first time reveal a long-term memory of the effects of smoking on immunity... It also talks about epigenetics, which is a sort of han

These findings... for the first time reveal a long-term memory of the effects of smoking on immunity... It also talks about epigenetics, which is a sort of hand wavy concept that what we do to our bodies can impact genetic expression and even genetic inheritance but it's kind of the "radiation" of 1950s sci fi. Spiderman was bit by a radioactive spider and got magic powers cuz ...don't ask. Radiation, okay? Moving on. I am certain that everything we do in life has epigenetic impacts and our lifestyle interacts with gene expression. I think of it a bit like vernacular architecture. You draw a floorplan for a two bedroom home and are limited to local resources, the exact details look different depending on weather it's an adobe house or a log cabin. That's a useful metaphor but it's not really hard science and at this date epigenetics is kind of a vague concept without really pinning down specific causes in most cases. The body doesn't "remember." It remains impaired in part because we don't really understand how to fully clear these chemicals from the body. It may also remain impaired because these chemicals altered something which will remain altered after the chemicals are cleared but at this point epigenetics doesn't seem to actually identify those details. Maybe someday it will. But not today.