It's Not the Heat, It's the Humidity That's Killing Us

[rangerrebew]

It's Not the Heat, It's the Humidity That's Killing Us
Scientists are studying the temperature at which humans spontaneously die, and their findings are a warning about our future.
Matthew Gault
by Matthew Gault
July 16, 2021, 9:00am

 
A heat dome in the Western part of the continent reached 117 degrees. A town in British Columbia burned to the ground, and temperatures in Europe are shattering records. Climate change is here and it’s killing us. But it’s not just the heat. It’s the humidity. That’s why scientists are studying “wet bulb conditions”— or temperatures at which humans spontaneously die.
 

What, exactly, are “wet bulb” conditions and when do we need to start worrying about them? Can we do anything to stop them? Are people already dying? Here to answer these questions and more is Motherboard intern Audrey Carleton, who has been covering this for the site.

If it’s so hot outside that the air can kill you, one of your only options is to retreat inside to an air conditioned space. That’s not something everyone has access to and it stresses the power grid. States like Texas have seen its power grid go down as people crank the AC to deal with rising temperatures. “We have a changing climate and we don’t have the grid capacity to handle it and it’s a feedback loop. The worse it gets the more we rely on these things that make the situation worse,” Carleton said.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/qj8enb/its-not-the-heat-its-the-humidity-thats-killing-us

[Elderberry]

Its not the heat or the humidity. Its that people are too accustomed to having an air-conditioned life. They no longer acclimate themselves to the world outside. And they are no longer attuned to their own body, when it's telling them they are being overcome by the heat, and its time to seek the shade and cool off for awhile.

[libertybele]

We have temps in the high 80's with a heat index of 100.  58% humidity.  Yes I run the air but I go out and putz around the yard a few times a day.  I like being outside.  Many in FL have a pool and are outdoors quite a bit.

[Wingnut]

I follow Leia's lead and head to Cyber Libertys new

 kegarator

[Elderberry]

Here its currently 90deg and 61% humidity. Heat index of 100. This morning it was 97%. No rain, but water was dripping off the roof. Been dropping all day.

[Joe Wooten]

Its not the heat or the humidity. Its that people are too accustomed to having an air-conditioned life. They no longer acclimate themselves to the world outside. And they are no longer attuned to their own body, when it's telling them they are being overcome by the heat, and its time to seek the shade and cool off for awhile.

 .

Agreed. I like my AC, but I also get outside and work up a sweat every day after I get done working in my office.

[Joe Wooten]

I States like Texas have seen its power grid go down as people crank the AC to deal with rising temperatures. “We have a changing climate and we don’t have the grid capacity to handle it and it’s a feedback loop. The worse it gets the more we rely on these things that make the situation worse,” Carleton said.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/qj8enb/its-not-the-heat-its-the-humidity-thats-killing-us

The grid is stressed because they are builidng too many windmills and not enough thermal power plants. Every state is interconnected (except Texas) and none have enough reserve margin to ensure they can keep teh grid up when they lose too many generators.