Is Earth really getting too hot for people to survive? A scientist explains extreme heat and the role of climate change

Is Earth really getting too hot for people to survive? A scientist explains extreme heat and the role of climate change

Heat waves can get dangerously hot, especially when it’s also humid. gjohnstonphoto/iStock/Getty Images Plus By Scott Denning, Colorado State University Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. My parents said the planet is getting too hot for people to live here. They called it climate change. What does that mean? – […]

June 17, 2024 13

Environment

Heat waves can be deadly for older adults: An aging global population and rising temperatures mean millions are at risk

Older adults face health risks from high heat for many reasons, including medications. AP Photo/Manu Fernandez By Deborah Carr, Boston University; Enrica De Cian, Ca' Foscari University of Venice; Giacomo Falchetta, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and Ian Sue Wing, Boston University A deadly heat wave gripped large regions of Asia for weeks in April and May 2024. As temperatures climbed past 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) […]

May 23, 2024 36

Lifestyle

Dehydration: how it happens, what to watch out for, what steps to take

By Anastasia Ugwuanyi, University of the Witwatersrand Dehydration is a big issue during unusually hot weather and outbreaks of diseases such as cholera that lead to life-threatening diarrhoea. Anastasia Ugwuanyi is a family physician and clinical educator at the University of the Witwatersrand. We asked her four questions designed to be useful in avoiding or managing dehydration. What causes dehydration? Dehydration can be defined as loss […]

March 22, 2024 15

Environment

How 2023’s record heat worsened droughts, floods and bushfires around the world

By Albert Van Dijk, Australian National University 2023 was a year of record-breaking heat, devastating storms and floods, deepening droughts and raging wildfires. These events showed how climate change is affecting the global water cycle and our livelihoods. Our international team of researchers today released a report, the Global Water Monitor, documenting the impact of the record heat in 2023 on the water cycle. We used data from thousands […]

January 11, 2024 15