Study Finds Heatwaves Already Breaching Human Survival Limits
New research published in Nature Communications reveals that extreme heatwaves between 2003 and 2024 have already created 'non-survivable' conditions for humans, particularly the elderly. Scientists re-examined six major heatwaves in locations including Phoenix, Mecca, and Larkana using a new model that accounts for temperature, humidity, and age-related physiological limits. The study found that all six events included periods where older people could not survive even with shade exposure, challenging previous assumptions that human survival limits were rarely breached. Lead author Prof Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick warns that these findings indicate deadly conditions are already present, suggesting that future warming will exacerbate risks significantly. The research also highlights that heat-related deaths in developing nations are likely severely underreported, placing hundreds of millions at grave risk.
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Study Finds Heatwaves Already Breaching Human Survival Limits
New research published in Nature Communications reveals that extreme heatwaves between 2003 and 2024 have already created 'non-survivable' conditions for humans, particularly the elderly. Scientists re-examined six major heatwaves in locations including Phoenix, Mecca, and Larkana using a new model that accounts for temperature, humidity, and age-related physiological limits. The study found that all six events included periods where older people could not survive even with shade exposure, challenging previous assumptions that human survival limits were rarely breached. Lead author Prof Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick warns that these findings indicate deadly conditions are already present, suggesting that future warming will exacerbate risks significantly. The research also highlights that heat-related deaths in developing nations are likely severely underreported, placing hundreds of millions at grave risk.
The Guardian