What is the hottest temperature that a human can survive without dying? I’ve heard people are in certain parts of California and it 122 degrees Ferenheit. Is it physically possible for a human body to withstand that type of heat?
In: Biology
Between 104-122 is when humans enter a high risk zone, and need plenty of water and rest. 122 is on the high end of that and, if coupled with humidity, can quickly result in heat stroke and death. Especially for the elderly or people who have to labor outside. When it’s dry, you can still sweat and get the benefit of evaporative cooling. But if humidity is high, 122 can become lethal super fast since sweating is no longer effective.
The consensus seems to be [wet-bulb measurement of 35°c](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet-bulb_temperature#:~:text=Study%20results%20indicate%20that%20limiting,limit%20of%2035%20%C2%B) (see the climate change section)
122f is much higher than that, but I’m not sure how or where it was measured. I suspect people survive 50c by limiting exposure and staying inside cooled buildings. I hope the power grid keeps working…
If you’d like to read an example of a fictional extreme heat wave, allow me to suggest [Ministry for the Future](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ministry_for_the_Future) which is pretty gut wrenching.
Depends on a lot of different factors:
The air temperature. What the person is wearing. What their activity level is. How hydrated they are.
There are saunas in Korea that go nearly as high as 200° F. If you’re sitting on enough insulation to keep the benches from burning you and you’re not doing a cardio workout you’ll be fine. For a while.
A firefighter in full turnout gear can survive temperatures of 500-800 degrees and do a crap load of physical work for as long as the air bottle lasts. Or until the uniform becomes heat saturated and can no longer insulate the person wearing it sufficiently.
An unhealthy 90 year old may experience lasting medical harm or death by being without AC in a well ventilated home in Texas for a day or 2.
It all boils down to so many different factors there isn’t a single good answer.
I mean, an undiscussed portion of this question is duration. Saunas can reach up to 200 degree F, but if you’re only in there for 10 minutes, you can survive, and even enjoy that.
I’ve worked in Iraq in Summer when it’s been 50-53oC (122 – 131oF) and as long as you’re drinking enough its fine if a bit uncomfortable, even ventured outside when that country hit its 54.7oC record, that was stupid hot even for this heat loving Aussie.
I find heat more tolerable than the reverse, -50oC and below is fucking painfully brutal
Before he really gets started, everyone is different, and some people are more vulnerable to heat death than others. The very young, the older and disabled people tend to be more sensitive to extreme heat.
It’s usually a combination of heat and humidity that kills you. The term wet bulb temperature refers to a combination of heat and humidity that is non-compatible with human life. At 95°F and 100% humidity pretty much everyone dies after several hours without interventions. The hotter it gets the lower the humidity can be, and it can still kill.
See the more humid the air the more difficult it is for your body to cool itself by sweating. Humans sweat when they are overheating and when that sweat evaporates it cools your skin. The higher, the humidity, the slower sweat evaporates and at 100% humidity. The sweat just clings to your body and actually starts to insulate you which is really bad when you’re overheating.
The lower the humidity the higher that temp can go before death. I mean people live in parts, the world, where it regularly gets above 120°F but that’s because the humidity is very low.
The hottest sauna I’ve ever been in was 150°C, it’s definitely not pleasant but definitely survivable for short periods of time.
If the air is humid enough then quite normal temperatures of about +40°C will be fatal even with enough water to drink.
I’ve lived in Phoenix for about 15 years, I can tell you what I’ve observed. Personally, I play pickleball (moderate intensity exercise) in temps over 100 all summer. There’s no shade, and you’re on what’s essentially a concrete court that makes it even worse. It’s definitely not the most pleasant thing in the world, but I never feel like I’m in any danger. It’s very dry here though and I sweat A LOT. I can go through a gallon of water in a few hours. My clothes are the maximum amount of saturation from sweat. Like if I dipped them in a pool, they would not become more wet, I’m not exaggerating.
There are many people working outside during the day too (landscapers, construction workers, etc) and they all seem fine. Whenever I hear about someone having problems, it’s almost always someone not from here who goes to do something insane like hike up and down one of our mountains with only a 16 ounce water bottle. Don’t do that. Don’t even come here during the summer.
During the middle of the day, it’s often approaching 120 degrees or higher. The best strategy is to play a game like the floor is lava, except the entire outside world is the lava, and you have to move from air conditioned zone to air conditioned zone. If I had to be out in that heat for a while, I’m sure I’d be fine, it would just be really uncomfortable.
In short, if you live here, are acclimated, in good health, and prepared with water, I don’t think you’re going to get hurt even in the hottest temps just from being outside, but you won’t be having a good time. If you can stay in the shade, that will help a lot. My front patio under the shade honestly doesn’t even feel that bad. Once you step into the sun though, you feel it.
I’ve been in saunas with temperatures as high as 120°C. Not a place I would recommend to stay for very long, though…
It gets up to 140 in the cars during NASCAR races at times. They have very little ways to keep cool other than hydrating and mild cooling ways, but nothing that makes it feel comfortable. But they have to be in INSANE shape to withstand it.
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