: How do humans feel temperature differences and how precisely can we feel it?
In: Biology
We notice temperature changes because our nervous system instantly reacts to regulate the core temperature of our bodies.
We have an average baseline temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, which is caused by the basic functioning our bodies organs (contracting muscles, electrical properties of nerves, etc.) The optimal external temperature for humans is roughly 70F. When it’s 70+ the body cannot properly disperse heat, so it works harder to cool itself and therefor makes us feel even hotter. Then, the farther below 70 we go, the harder the body will work to keep itself warm because our tissues are being slowed down by the cold.
Temperature changes could mean life or death in the wild so it’s very noticeable when these changes occur to help us jump into fight or flight mode. I don’t think I could notice a temp difference less than 3 degrees, but some people might be more sensitive.
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