It’s so hot that laborers have to start work in the middle of the night. Body temperatures rise to dangerous levels. A merry-go-round can sear the skin. The New York Times visited two cities already transformed by climate change. nyti.ms/3UWjp5o
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Half the world could soon face dangerous levels of heat as human emissions warm the planet. Basra and Kuwait City offer a glimpse of the future. nyti.ms/3hUksUL
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Basra has always been hot. But now, working outside can cause major health problems. When we visited Abbas Abdul Karim, a welder, the heat index was 125°F (52°C). “I feel it burning into my eyes,” he said. nyti.ms/3hUksUL
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Thermal imaging shows extraordinary heat coming off his equipment and making his workspace even more dangerous. These conditions can cause heatstroke, especially in the direct sun. nyti.ms/3hUksUL
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The body’s struggle to sweat and cool itself can cause dehydration and put extra pressure on the kidneys. Over time, this increases the risk of kidney stones and kidney disease. nyti.ms/3hUksUL
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The heart works harder, too, in these conditions, laboring to pump more blood to the skin and carry heat out of the body. Abbas’s pulse rose, indicating to experts that his body temperature had risen by about three degrees, putting stress on his heart. nyti.ms/3hUksUL
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Abbas felt unsteady and had to stop. “It feels like the heat is coming out of my head,” he said.
At these temperatures, normal life is impossible. Work slows. Tempers flare. Hospitals fill up.
See more on how life is transformed by climate change.
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The NYT is a circus ran by clowns where each clown regularly tries to out-clown the previous one.
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Stop the presses! The NYT has discovered that life in the Middle Eastern desert is hot.
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