How hot is too hot?

Heat exhaustion

Heat causes heat exhaustion, which can be dangerous. The symptoms of heat exhaustion can come on suddenly without warning, or they may creep up on you gradually. The most common signs of heat exhaustion include: confusion, dizziness, nausea, feeling faint, sweating profusely from many areas of the body… If you, or anyone else, has symptoms of heat exhaustion, it’s essential to immediately get out of the heat and rest, preferably in an air-conditioned room.

The importance of air conditioning

On an overheated planet, air-conditioning becomes more and more desirable, solving in the short term the problem it helped create. For instance, scientific studies have shown that our reliance on air conditioning has actually reduced our ability to handle extreme heat. According to National Geographic, the human body is ill-suited to spend extended periods of time in temperatures higher than its own internal temperature. However, if humidity is lower than 50%, we can withstand slightly hotter temperatures.