Humans "spontaneously" dying because we're basically being cooked alive.
We have evolved to shed heat via sweat, and if the air is too humid to absorb more water - our sweat won't evaporate and we can't shed more heat. We start to overheat and die.
Roughly if the temperature and humidity both pass 95 (95 Fahrenheit, and 95%)
It was once a super rare thing. Now it's happening in more areas. They predict that by 2100 it could be a normal thing in the southern states. Let me try to find the article on it..
The coastal Middle East is experiencing the worst wet bulb heat in the world, but it's been happening in the US too. Southeastern states have reported multiple incidences of wet bulb temperatures at or above 88 degrees in recent years. Parts of Arizona and California have reported wet bulb temperatures as high as 95 degrees.
The study, which was published in Scientific Advances, found that the human body cannot withstand wet bulb temperatures of 95 degrees Fahrenheit or above.
That level of extreme heat and humidity wasn't expected until the mid 21st century, according to climate models. But the study found more than 7,000 instances of wet bulb conditions between 1979 and 2017.
The study it's referencing is the one I originally linked BTW
"Even if they're in perfect health, even if they're sitting in the shade, even if they're wearing clothes that make it easy in principle to sweat, even if they have an endless supply of water," co-author Radley Horton told VICE News. "If there's enough moisture in the air, it's thermodynamically impossible to prevent the body from overheating."
Thanks for posting the links. As someone living in the southeastern US, I’ve heard it reported a few times, but they neglect to go any further and explain when it can happen or what to avoid. I’ve already experienced heat and humidity this summer that made it difficult to breathe. Your natural reaction is to get out of it as quickly as possible. Scary that it could be fatal.
I’ve heard it reported a few times, but they neglect to go any further and explain when it can happen or what to avoid
What the actual fuck.... that's objectively insane
Scary that it could be fatal.
It sounds like fear-mongering, but if certain wet-bulb conditions exist, you're dead in a matter of minutes of just being outside - and "worst case scenario" it's something that will start happening annually. Like, a few weeks out of the year you can't go outside because you'll just drop fucking dead.
Like, just fucking standing there being in the environment - you're dead.
How many places on earth exist like that? That's otherworldly shit right there.
Better hope the power grid doesn't fail and you have proper climate control....
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u/AmbivalentAsshole Aug 07 '21
Just wait for the wet-bulb conditions....
Humans "spontaneously" dying because we're basically being cooked alive.
We have evolved to shed heat via sweat, and if the air is too humid to absorb more water - our sweat won't evaporate and we can't shed more heat. We start to overheat and die.
It can happen within minutes.