High humidity affects human work ability and survival

Date: January 1^st, 2018  Source of information: Lianhe Zaobao

U.S. researchers say high humidity could exacerbate the effects of hot weather from South America to

India, reducing human workability and even survival rates.

They argue that governments, aid agencies and individuals underestimate the effects of high

temperatures, and muggy heat is worse than "dry" hot gas, which makes it impossible to drain excess

heat from one's body by sweating.

The study carried out by the Institute of Earth Sciences, Columbia University, found that coastal areas

and other high humidity regions are most affected by high temperature. These areas include Amazon,

southeastern United States, West Africa and Central Africa, parts of the Middle East, northern India and

eastern China.

In hot weather, there is a lot of moisture in the air, sweat will stop evaporating, and the body can not

cool down. If there is no cold air, the burden of human organs will increase, and then it will start to fail.

This may lead to lethargy, illness and even death.

"It's not just about heat, it's about how many poor people, how many elderly people, who needs to work

outdoors, who can enjoy the air conditioning," said Scholl Binin of the International Center for Geoscience

Information Network.