Can the human body cope with extreme heat in a changing climate?

The scorching summer of 2022 left a devastating trail of 61,000 lives lost across Europe,* illustrating the human body's vulnerability to extreme heat. But amidst this tragedy arises a compelling question: how does the human body defy incineration under the assault of a 40°C summer sun? What ar...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Pieter Vancamp
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institut Veolia Environnement 2025-01-01
Series:Field Actions Science Reports
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/7652
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832580047852011520
author Pieter Vancamp
author_facet Pieter Vancamp
author_sort Pieter Vancamp
collection DOAJ
description The scorching summer of 2022 left a devastating trail of 61,000 lives lost across Europe,* illustrating the human body's vulnerability to extreme heat. But amidst this tragedy arises a compelling question: how does the human body defy incineration under the assault of a 40°C summer sun? What arsenal of defences does it wield to brave such extreme conditions? Let's discover an incredible journey through the body and its perfectionated physiology to safeguard our survival regardless of the temperature's merciless whims. It is a breathtaking showcase of nature's ingenuity.Yet, even the most formidable defences have their breaking points. When does this finely tuned orchestra falter, and how does the scorching heat transform from a mere discomfort to a lethal threat? In the light of climate change, these questions loom large. With record-breaking temperatures signalling the onslaught of more frequent and severe heatwaves, one cannot help but wonder: can our bodies endure the relentless march towards a hotter world? And how can we best anticipate to protect ourselves and our peers?*. Ballester, J.,et al. (2023). Heat-related mortality in Europe during the summer of 2022. Nature Medicine, 29(7), 1249-1259. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02419-z.
format Article
id doaj-art-ff42801c441e4b508bda30035eb3caa2
institution Kabale University
issn 1867-139X
1867-8521
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Institut Veolia Environnement
record_format Article
series Field Actions Science Reports
spelling doaj-art-ff42801c441e4b508bda30035eb3caa22025-01-30T11:24:36ZengInstitut Veolia EnvironnementField Actions Science Reports1867-139X1867-85212025-01-01272024Can the human body cope with extreme heat in a changing climate?Pieter VancampThe scorching summer of 2022 left a devastating trail of 61,000 lives lost across Europe,* illustrating the human body's vulnerability to extreme heat. But amidst this tragedy arises a compelling question: how does the human body defy incineration under the assault of a 40°C summer sun? What arsenal of defences does it wield to brave such extreme conditions? Let's discover an incredible journey through the body and its perfectionated physiology to safeguard our survival regardless of the temperature's merciless whims. It is a breathtaking showcase of nature's ingenuity.Yet, even the most formidable defences have their breaking points. When does this finely tuned orchestra falter, and how does the scorching heat transform from a mere discomfort to a lethal threat? In the light of climate change, these questions loom large. With record-breaking temperatures signalling the onslaught of more frequent and severe heatwaves, one cannot help but wonder: can our bodies endure the relentless march towards a hotter world? And how can we best anticipate to protect ourselves and our peers?*. Ballester, J.,et al. (2023). Heat-related mortality in Europe during the summer of 2022. Nature Medicine, 29(7), 1249-1259. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02419-z.https://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/7652
spellingShingle Pieter Vancamp
Can the human body cope with extreme heat in a changing climate?
Field Actions Science Reports
title Can the human body cope with extreme heat in a changing climate?
title_full Can the human body cope with extreme heat in a changing climate?
title_fullStr Can the human body cope with extreme heat in a changing climate?
title_full_unstemmed Can the human body cope with extreme heat in a changing climate?
title_short Can the human body cope with extreme heat in a changing climate?
title_sort can the human body cope with extreme heat in a changing climate
url https://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/7652
work_keys_str_mv AT pietervancamp canthehumanbodycopewithextremeheatinachangingclimate