Scientific Tips for Staying Cool in a Heatwave
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By the BBC Futures Team.
Heatwaves make daily life uncomfortable, but also pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. Here is our guide to getting through one.
The oppressive temperatures of a heatwave can have far-reaching impacts, from risks to human health to destroying crops and increasing the risk of wildfires. In 2019, extreme heat is estimated to have caused the deaths of 356,000 people worldwide, according to one set of estimates, making it one of the most dangerous yet overlooked natural hazards. While there is still a great deal of uncertainty about toll that heatwaves take (the World Health Organization estimates 166,000 people died between 1998 and 2017, by comparison), there is little doubt that the number of people exposed to heatwaves around the world is increasing.And climate change is only likely to make heatwaves more frequent and intense in the future. Over the years, BBC Future has covered many different aspects of living with and enduring extreme hot weather. Here we round up some of what we have learned.
How do you stay cool in a heatwave?
It’s crucial to stay cool in hot weather as it can have serious effects on your health (see further down this page). Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to find relief when the temperatures climb to uncomfortable levels.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE at https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220718-the-tips-from-science-for-staying-cool-in-a-heatwave
