Human body's heat limit lower than thought, now estimated at 26-31°C

With global temperatures on the rise, new research has revealed that human bodies may struggle to cope with extreme heat sooner than believed.

- USHA PERI @ Vizag

A recent study by the University of Ottawa's Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit (HEPRU) found that the safe limit for human thermoregulation is lower than what earlier models suggested, raising concerns about the impact of climate change on human survival.

The study, published in the journal PNAS, led by Dr Robert D Meade and Professor Glen Kenny, challenges the long-held assumption that humans can tolerate wet-bulb temperatures, where heat and humidity combine up to 35°C. Instead, the research suggests that the threshold falls between 26°C and 31°C, beyond which the body struggles to regulate its internal temperature effectively.