Taxis line up at a stoplight in times square, with dirty, slushy snow in the road and more snow falling.Credit: Shutterstock

state of science iconThis story is part of The State of Science, a series featuring science stories from public media journalists across the United States. It features reporting by Joe Hong from Gothamist and WNYC.

Every winter, pristine, downy snowflakes transform into a ragout of black, yellow, and brown streaks. And there are probably no dirty snowbanks as disgusting as those that line the streets of New York City. 

Investigative reporter Joe Hong dug into some NYC snowbanks to find out just what is lurking in these piles of snow. He speaks to host Flora Lichtman about his findings.

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