Based on recent research scientists have identified the maximum mix of heat and humidity a human body can take

The Earth’s temperature is rising, and it may soon reach levels of heat and humidity that could become fatal for humans, including young individuals, after only a few hours of exposure. Recent scientific research has pinpointed the maximum combination of heat and humidity that the human body can endure.

Previously, scientists believed that a young, healthy person could withstand temperatures close to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and 100% humidity for about six hours before succumbing. However, new findings suggest that this threshold might actually be much lower.

Researchers from Pennsylvania State University in the United States undertook an experiment to determine the “wet bulb temperature,” which signifies the point at which sweat no longer evaporates from the skin, leading to heatstroke and potential death. Unlike previous methods that used wet cloth and thermometers, they measured the core temperatures of healthy young individuals within a heat chamber. Their investigation revealed that the participants reached their “critical environmental limit” at a wet bulb temperature of 30.6 degrees Celsius, significantly lower than the previously hypothesized limit.

While the previously believed heat and humidity tolerance for humans (35 degrees Celsius) has been breached only a few times, primarily in regions like South Asia and the Persian Gulf, climate change is amplifying the occurrence of dangerous wet bulb events. Colin Raymond from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory explained that these events have doubled in frequency over the last 40 years due to climate change. Raymond’s research suggests that if the global temperature rises by 2.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, wet bulb events will become even more common.

A recent report from the European Union’s climate change service, Copernicus, indicates that ocean temperatures have reached their highest-ever recorded levels. Surpassing a 2016 record, global sea surface temperatures have reached 20.96 degrees Celsius, well above the seasonal average. Experts stress that extreme heat events, even below the 35-degree threshold, can be lethal. They emphasize that people’s ability to tolerate heat varies based on factors such as age, health, and socioeconomic circumstances. Furthermore, those who are least equipped to shield themselves from extreme heat will endure the most severe consequences.