The emergence of heat and humidity too severe for human tolerance (2020) (advances.sciencemag.org)

Article summary

The article discusses the emergence of heat and humidity too severe for human tolerance, with temperatures potentially reaching 35 Celsius wet bulb temperature, making it difficult for even young and healthy people to survive. The discussion focuses on the potential consequences of such heatwaves, particularly in poor tropical countries with unstable infrastructure. The severity of these heatwaves may lead to mass deaths, highlighting the need for effective solutions. The article's content is not directly available, but the comments reveal a sense of urgency and concern about the issue.

Main themes

• climate change
• heatwaves
• human tolerance
• infrastructure
• migration
• technological solutions
• alternative adaptations

What commenters say

• Some regions, such as the Pacific Northwest or Canada, may be safer than others, like the Middle East or Bangladesh, in the face of climate change.
• Migration to cooler areas may not be a viable solution due to the global nature of climate change and its unpredictable effects.
• Technological solutions, such as solar-powered swamp coolers or dehumidifiers, may not be effective in high humidity environments and require reliable access to water and electricity.
• Alternative solutions, like building underground shelters or using desiccants, have been proposed, but their feasibility and scalability are uncertain.
• Climate change is making weather more chaotic and unpredictable, and there may be no safe place to escape its effects.
• The concept of wet-bulb temperature is crucial in understanding the human experience of heat and humidity, and its importance should not be overlooked.
• Some commenters argue that the only truly safe place may be in space, where the planetary weather system's disintegration does not pose a danger.
• Others propose that adapting to a nocturnal lifestyle or using innovative cooling methods, such as cycling air through underground pipes, could be potential solutions.