Via The Economist, an article on strategies to mitigate Africa’s increasing cases of extreme heat: FEW PLACES on Earth are more familiar with the deadly consequences of extreme heat than countries in Africa. Heat kills crops, spoils food and medicines, and makes it impossible to work, study or sleep. As the planet warms, the number of […]
Read more »Via Washington Post, a report on a new study has found most cities receive significantly more rain than nearby rural regions, an effect that has become more pronounced over the past two decades: Cities are hot. The fact that urban areas tend to be warmer than their surrounding region — a phenomenon called the heat island […]
Read more »Via the Middle East Research and Information Project, an interesting look at the history, cost, and social inequities of air conditioning in Bahrain where the first air conditioner in the Gulf was installed in the oil town of Awali: The town had been built by Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco)—a creation of the Standard Oil Company […]
Read more »Courtesy of the New York Times, a look at how extreme heat and flooding are accelerating the deterioration of bridges, engineers say, posing a quiet but growing threat: On a 95-degree day this summer, New York City’s Third Avenue Bridge, connecting the Bronx and Manhattan, got stuck in the open position for hours. As heat […]
Read more »Via The Economist, a look at innovations in cooling technology that can help reduce the negative impact A/C has on the environment: In many parts of the world, the cool blast of an air-conditioner on a hot day is nowadays seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. Climate change is tipping the balance. Average global […]
Read more »Via Planet Anomaly, a graphical look at the world’s coastal cities facing a silent crisis—land subsidence that outpaces sea-level rise. A staggering 44 out of the 48 largest coastal cities are sinking at a rate faster than the oceans are rising. The cities that are sinking the quickest: 1?? Tianjin, China: Peak sinking at 43 mm/year 2?? Ho […]
Read more »