Scientists have calculated the limit of comfortable temperature for a person

Researchers from the University of Roehampton (UK) are conducting a lengthy experiment to find out the maximum temperature at which the human body can function.

First data submitted at a conference of the British Society for Experimental Biology (SEB). They show that as temperature and humidity levels increase, the human body begins to burn more calories at rest.

The authors found that at an average ambient temperature of 40°C, human metabolism increases by about 35% regardless of the level of humidity, and at a temperature of 50 ° C and high humidity, the metabolism grows by another 13%.

According to the researchers, such a sharp acceleration of metabolism cannot be explained by increased calorie consumption for increased heart rate, respiration, and more profuse sweating. Scientists consider this a sign that the human body in such conditions is at the limit of its adaptive capabilities.

During the experiment, 13 volunteers spent an hour in a room with a temperature of 40-50°C, the humidity level differed in different studies.

To fix the parameters, echocardiography was used, one of the ultrasound options that allows creating visualization of the heart. The equipment used for it is usually used in hospitals, but not in research laboratories. It was not easy to operate the device in the heat, but this made it possible to more accurately monitor the work of the heart during the experiment. They also recorded the body temperature of the subjects and used a mask to record the amount of oxygen consumed.

According to scientists, at around 40 ° C, there may be an upper limit of the thermoneutral zone, when the body spends a minimum of energy at rest. This means that some regions may become unsuitable for human life in the coming decades. The lands include the Persian Gulf and South Asia, where summer temperatures are rising rapidly and humidity.