Europe has warmed 2.5°C above pre-industrial levels, making it the fastest-warming continent. Researchers now study 'feels-like' temperatures-incorporating humidity, wind, and body heat loss-to gauge the true toll on human health.
The result: a sharp rise in heat stress, where the body cannot dissipate heat fast enough. When core temperature spikes, symptoms include nausea, rapid heart rate, and potentially fatal heat stroke.
A new study in Nature reveals that extreme heat stress days and tropical nights (where temperatures stay above 20°C overnight) have surged across the continent. Southern Spain, Italy, Greece, and Turkey could see up to 40 additional days per year of strong heat stress compared to the 1970s. Even regions once unaccustomed to such heat now face the threat.
Nighttime temperatures are climbing faster than daytime highs, disrupting sleep and increasing cardiovascular strain-a particular danger in Europe, where air conditioning is rare.