Menu Close

Articles on Urban heat islands

Displaying 1 - 20 of 47 articles

Extreme heat can affect how well machines function, and the fact that many machines give off their own heat doesn’t help. AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar

Machines can’t always take the heat − two engineers explain the physics behind how heat waves threaten everything from cars to computers

People aren’t the only ones harmed by heat waves. The hotter it gets, the harder it is for machines to keep their cool.
Dean Lewins/AAP

Why Western Sydney is feeling the heat from climate change more than the rest of the city

Very hot days in Western Sydney are typically 5 degrees hotter than parts of the city close to the coast and are becoming more common, but only in the west. Four climate drivers explain the difference.
Amsterdam, Netherlands. Planting trees in urban areas can reduce the impacts of urban heat islands. Dutch_Photos/Shutterstock

Planting more trees could reduce premature heat-related deaths in European cities by a third – new research

In 2015, 6,700 premature deaths were caused by urban heat – this can be reduced by a third by planting more trees.
Concrete and asphalt roads, and other built materials readily absorb, store and release heat, raising city temperatures, a phenomenon called the urban heat island. (Pixabay)

Small green spaces can help keep cities cool during heat waves

During heatwaves, the highest temperatures are often found in urbanized areas. Small green spaces are often overlooked as a way to cool urban areas.
Flooding is seen in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia after the remnants of Hurricane Ida, Sept. 2, 2021. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Cities worldwide aren’t adapting to climate change quickly enough

More than half of the world’s population lives in cities, and that share is growing. Rapid climate change could make many cities unlivable in the coming decades without major investments to adapt.

Top contributors

More