![]() The study was recently published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.Īccording to the researchers, while previous studies have theorized that a 35☌ wet-bulb temperature was the upper limit of human adaptability, that temperature was based on theory and modeling and not real-world data from humans. Unsafe dry heat environments rely more on the temperature and the ability to sweat, and less on the humidity. In drier climates sweat is able to evaporate from the skin, which helps cool body temperature. Kenney added that it’s important to note that using this temperature to assess risk only makes sense in humid climates. ![]() ![]() “That could mean prioritizing the sickest people who need care, setting up alerts to go out to a community when a heatwave is coming, or developing a chart that provides guidance for different temperature and humidity ranges.” “If we know what those upper temperature and humidity limits are, we can better prepare people - especially those who are more vulnerable - ahead of a heat wave,” Kenney said. Larry Kenney, professor of physiology and kinesiology and Marie Underhill Noll Chair in Human Performance, said the results could help people better plan for extreme heat events, which are occurring more frequently as the world warms. The temperature for older populations, who are more vulnerable to heat, is likely even lower. It represents a humid temperature at which the air is saturated and holds as much moisture as it can in the form of water vapor a person’s sweat will not evaporate at that skin temperature.īut in their new study, the researchers found that the actual maximum wet-bulb temperature is lower - about 31☌ wet-bulb or 87☏ at 100% humidity - even for young, healthy subjects. Wet-bulb temperature is read by a thermometer with a wet wick over its bulb and is affected by humidity and air movement. It has been widely believed that a 35☌ wet-bulb temperature (equal to 95☏ at 100% humidity or 115☏ at 50% humidity) was the maximum a human could endure before they could no longer adequately regulate their body temperature, which would potentially cause heat stroke or death over a prolonged exposure. New Penn State research found that in humid climates, that temperature may be lower than previously thought. As climate change nudges the global temperature higher, there is rising interest in the maximum environmental conditions like heat and humidity to which humans can adapt.
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