Newswise Breaking News Channel: Extreme Heat

From Road Coatings to a Sweating Manikin, These ASU Research Projects Are Helping Arizonans Keep Their Cool

Arizona State University (ASU) — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 22:25:30 EST

The heat isn't going away. And neither are sprawling desert cities like the metro Phoenix area. With new summer records being set nearly every year it has become increasingly urgent for cities to find ways to keep summers livable for millions of residents. Here are some of the tangible ways that Arizona State University researchers are helping to create more livable tomorrows.

Weather Emergencies Affect Older Adults' Views on Climate and Health

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 08:00:00 EST

Nearly 3 out of every 4 older Americans have experienced at least one extreme weather event in the last two years, a new poll finds. And living through such an event appears to make a big difference in how they view the potential impact of climate change on their health and that of future generations.

From Pledges to Action: The Global Struggle for Carbon Neutrality

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:55:46 EST

The global race toward carbon neutrality has gained momentum, yet the gap between promises and execution remains stark. A groundbreaking study assessing 197 countries finds that while 151 nations have pledged carbon neutrality, only 72 have implemented comprehensive policy frameworks. At the current pace, global renewable energy capacity will only reach 2.7 times its 2022 level by 2030--falling short of below the tripling target. This shortfall underscores the urgent need for stronger international cooperation, increased investment, and accelerated technology diffusion to bridge the implementation gap.

Illinois Study: Extreme Heat Impacts Dairy Production, Small Farms Most Vulnerable

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 19:30:35 EST

Livestock agriculture is bearing the cost of extreme weather events. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explores how heat stress affects U.S. dairy production, finding that high heat and humidity lead to a 1% decline in annual milk yield. Small farms are hit harder than large farms, which may be able to mitigate some of the effects through management strategies.

UNC Study Reveals Possible Effects of Air Quality Changes Associated with Global Warming on Human Airways

University of North Carolina School of Medicine — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 19:40:31 EST

A study now published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, reveals how global warming could exacerbate lung diseases by dehydrating and inflaming human airways. UNC Marsico Lung Institute members Brian Button, PhD, is senior author and Alessandra Livraghi-Butrico, PhD, is co-author.

Global Warming Can Lead to Inflammation in Human Airways, New Research Shows

Johns Hopkins Medicine — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 08:20:36 EST

In a recent, cross-institutional study partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, researchers report that healthy human airways are at higher risk for dehydration and inflammation when exposed to dry air, an occurrence expected to increase due to global warming.

Mosquito Pain Receptors Are Less Sensitive During Extreme Heat

Ohio State University — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:15:02 EST

Hotter temperatures may render natural insect repellents less effective against mosquitoes, according to a new study.

NJIT Biologist Wins NSF CAREER Award to Explore Hidden Hydrological Factor to Forest Resilience

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 17:25:13 EST

New Jersey Institute of Technology biologist Xiaonan Tai has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to investigate how landscape positions determine forest fate during extreme heat and drought.

An Arctic Meltdown Is Accelerating Global Warming. How Will We Adapt?

Northern Arizona University — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:00:00 EST

New research published in Science shows that in 2024, Earth surpassed 1.5 degrees of warming--the threshold world leaders hoped not to cross when they signed the Paris Agreement. Now, Earth is hurtling toward a 2.7-degree increase by 2100. Why did we overestimate our abilities? Part of the answer lies in the Arctic, a region that's warming faster than scientists expected.

New Research and Art Instillation Demonstrates the Viability of Using Fog as a Water Source

University of California, Santa Cruz — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 09:10:43 EST

In a state known for its droughts, where the southern half recently experienced devastating fires, understanding California's natural water sources is more important than ever. Three University of California, Santa Cruz professors have teamed up to create a multipart scientific and artistic research study, Art+Fog as a collective,

How Do Emotions Influence How People Deal with Natural Disasters?

Universite de Montreal — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 18:40:18 EST

Researchers led by an UdeM architecture professor look at how fear, anger and pride combine to shape responses to climate risks in four Latin American communities.

China's Temperature Extremes: A 60-Year Climate Chronicle

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 08:35:43 EST

A recent study sheds light on the spatio-temporal patterns of temperature extremes in China over the past six decades, revealing alarming warming trends and highlighting the critical role of atmospheric circulation factors.

Do Clouds Play a Role in Arctic Ice Melt?

University of Miami — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 09:05:18 EST

University of Miami atmospheric scientists recently deployed to Greenland for a NASA field campaign are studying the rapid loss of ice in the region and its effect on the world's climate.

Climate Expert Available for Media Coverage of Global Temperature Update Day, Jan. 10

Case Western Reserve University — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 18:55:10 EST

This Prototype Sunscreen Protects Your Skin and Cools You Off, Too

American Chemical Society (ACS) — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 08:00:31 EST

A new sunscreen formula, described in ACS' Nano Letters, protects against both UV light and heat from the sun using radiative cooling. The prototype sunblock kept human skin up to 11 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius) cooler than bare skin, or around 6 F (3 C) cooler than existing sunscreens.

Worsening Heat Waves Pose Unique Risks to People Living with Neurodegenerative Disease

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 21:25:18 EST

As 2024 is set to end as Earth's hottest year on record - breaking the previous record set in 2023- a UCLA Health researcher says people living with neurodegenerative diseases will be uniquely vulnerable to worsening heat waves because of a higher risk of heat-related complications.

How an Iconic Desert Tree Survives Extreme Heat--and the Unique Risk It's Facing Now

Northern Arizona University — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 18:15:42 EST

Even in extreme heat waves, Fremont cottonwood trees can cool themselves through evaporation in their leaves, similar to the way we sweat when we're hot. It's how they've survived in Arizona and throughout the Southwest.

Will the Ross Ice Shelf Melt? International Team Launches Second Attempt to Drill for Antarctic Climate Clues

Binghamton University, State University of New York — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 09:15:17 EST

An international team of scientists -- including faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York -- is undergoing an ambitious mission to obtain critical geological records from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The vast ice sheet holds enough ice to raise sea levels by 13 to 16.4 feet if it melts completely. Research has found a collapse might be inevitable for some parts of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

New Study Links Extreme Heat to Increased Risk of Postpartum Depression in SoCal

University of California, Irvine — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 15:10:37 EST

A cohort of mothers in Southern California that were exposed to higher temperature during the postpartum period was associated with an increased risk for postpartum depression (PPD).

UAH Atmospheric Researchers Find Disadvantaged Urban Populations Are Subject to Greater Heat Stress, Poor Air Quality

University of Alabama Huntsville — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 14:40:08 EST

Researchers at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) have employed a NASA open-source program to reveal that disadvantaged populations may be subject to greater heat stress and poor air quality. For this study, the researchers focused on Houston, Tex. Combining changes in heat and land cover with Houston's socioeconomic data demonstrated that economically disadvantaged populations are subject to greater heat stress.