Fewer babies are born in the months following hot days
The effect is small but consistent
THE HOTTEST year on record, 2023, may not retain its title for long; 2024 already looks as though it may overtake it. As temperatures continue to rise, countries will scramble to prevent heat deaths and tackle extreme weather. But global warming also has much subtler effects—including, researchers suggest, on fertility.
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This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Too darn hot”
From the September 7th 2024 edition
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Deforestation is costing Brazilian farmers millions
Without trees to circulate moisture, the land is getting hotter and drier
Robots can learn new actions faster thanks to AI techniques
They could soon show their moves in settings from car factories to care homes
Scientists are learning why ultra-processed foods are bad for you
A mystery is finally being solved
Scientific publishers are producing more papers than ever
Concerns about some of their business models are building
The two types of human laugh
One is caused by tickling; the other by everything else
Scientists are building a catalogue of every type of cell in our bodies
It has thus far shed light on everything from organ formation to the causes of inflammation