How to Protect at-Risk Individuals From Extreme Heat

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The question of how to protect at-risk individuals from extreme heat is crucial. One estimate puts the death toll from last year's European heatwaves alone at 61,000. Some parts of the world are now bringing in legislation to protect outdoor workers but many remain vulnerable. This gets to the heart of our next guest's research - a physiologist who studies occupational safety in hot conditions.

As record temperatures spread across the world, Ian Sample sets out to understand what heat does to our bodies and what we can do to mitigate it without causing more damage to the environment. He visits Prof Lewis Halsey’s team at the University of Roehampton and learns first-hand about the body’s response to heat. He also hears from scientists Prof Jean Palutikof and Dr Aaron Bach about how we can adapt buildings and working conditions in a changing climate.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod