Most of it's boring

The times they are a'changin'

David Shukman, the BBC's science editor, asks whether climate change could mean that Summers could become too hot for humans. Except he doesn't really complete the article by answering the question. To be fair, like a lot of these future-gazing fluff pieces, it's pretty unaswerable except in the broadest terms.

He starts off well enough with a premise, and by clarifying that dangerous levels of heat stress are dangerous(exclamation)…for those sitting at the back of the class.

Millions of people around the world could be exposed to dangerous levels of heat stress - a dangerous condition which can cause organs to shut down. Many live in developing countries, and do jobs that expose them to potentially life threatening conditions. These include being out in the open on farms and building sites or indoors in factories and hospitals. Global warming will increase the chances of summer conditions that may be "too hot for humans" to work in.

David Shukman, BBC science editor

All of this may, indeed, come to pass. But Shukman doesn't really support his case with his first case study, that of Dr Jimmy Lee.

Dr Lee is an emergency medic in Singapore, batting against COVID-19. In a deliberate decision to prevent spread of the virus, there is no air conditioning. Furthermore, the medical staff have to wear multiple layers of protective clothing, masks, and goggles, creating a sweltering micro-climate under the multiple layers of plastic. Dr Lee has noticed that he and his team become irritable with each other, and that the long shifts under these conditions sap morale.

As a case study as to how climate change could affect the way humans live and work, should these conditions be met, it's valid. But using a case from a tropical country, in which the working conditions are exacerbated to deal with a virulent pandemic, does not make the case that such conditions are inevitable other than in extreme, and rare, conditions.

I'm not for a moment suggesting that climate change isn't real, it is. But a little more critical thinking might be expected of a science editor.