Record-breaking heat might dominate headlines, but for most of us, hotter-than-usual conditions slowly cost our quality of life. Dr. Turner walks us through a typical hot day — today, and in a future designed for living well with heat.
Dr. Turner is a heat researcher and science communicator who has advised federal, state, and local governments on heat policy. As a Professor of Urban Planning and Geography and Associate Director of heat equity research at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, she studies how people can thrive in a hotter world. Dr. Turner is a heat researcher and science communicator who has advised federal, state, and local governments on heat policy. As a Professor of Urban Planning and Geography and Associate Director of heat equity research at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, she studies how people can thrive in a hotter world.
LinkedIn: @V. Kelly Turner, @UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, @UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Personal Website:
UCLA Luskin Heat Equity Website:
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at
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How do you stay cool in extreme heat?
Does anyone else think it's kind of unfair that weather stations use the same temperature threshold for everyone in an area?
You're right that heat rearranges our daily lives instead of just threatening them. The personalized approach you're describing makes far more sense than treating everyone the same way.
what struck me was hearing my kids say they got a rainy day schedule because of the heat. it made me realize how much we're already bending around these constraints without really talking about it
It's honestly scary to think about how much worse this issue is getting and no one who actually has any power to change it will do anything about it
Okay I was totally unaware that heat kills more people than all the other stuff put together. I feel like we don't really think of it in that way
the outdoor workers thing especially wrecked me because like they don't get to opt out but we act surprised when it becomes a health crisis
this really got me thinking, how wonderful that science can now measure what works for each of us instead of one size fits all warnings
I remember being on holidays and it was literally 100 degrees and all my friends were over just sweating in my living room throwing ice and cold water at each other. We wanted to go to the beach and it wasn't until the sun went down that we felt like it was cool enough to. Now it's like every summer we have at least 10 days like that and sometimes even hotter…
There are so many little things we could be doing to reduce heat in suburban areas as well. I remember reading about how there was a proposal for new developments to help do this by not letting people have dark rooves and it was flat out ignored because of aesthetics. Now that area is about 10 degrees hotter than it used to be specifically because of the heat retained by those rooves
Life isn't about being rich, being popular, being highly educated or being perfect. Life is about being kind, being humble, being real. That's the true wealth that never fades.
very well-timed talk considering what's been going on in so much of the US heat-wise lately
great talk, I've been thinking about this a lot myself
It really is crazy how much hotter it's getting and there are so many things we could be doing to reduce it but we just don't
I think it wasn't until experiencing my first heat dome that I really started to worry about this. Excellent talk!
Sad how much more we're having to think about this these days
People must STOP CUTTING DOWN TREES!
She thinks 95° with 40% humidity is hot.😳
Girl try weeks of over 100° and humidity so excessive you sweat instantly in a few minutes in the shade. 🤨
95° is a rare thing and considered a nice day.🥰
Come visit me, I'll show you hot.😂
Heat increasing means $800 a month electric bill for AC. Water evaporation and drought. Lack of ability to grow food and raise livestock like feeding and watering cattle chicken pigs and plants and growing fields of food. I think we will evolve to survive heat of course but that will only go so far for so many for so long. It will cause mass casualty events. Can we do this for 7 billion people on the plan? It’s a whole other reality at 110. None of this is how to survive extreme heat. This is how to survive is now at 95. Certain things will no longer work in those temps, plants will not grow and only rich people will be able to keep AC on.
I hear Mother Nature giggling.
Duh. One of the most useless Ted talks I've ever wasted time on.
Wish scientists would focus on finding alternative means of cooling buildings for work, residential, and recreation that doesn’t cause environmental issues. I’ve had cryosurgery to help with major cystic acne. In Hawaii, there was an idea to pipe cold, deep ocean water for air conditioning. And I remember in my gramma’s time there were ice deliveries for ice boxes before refrigerators and Freon. This is the time for industries and businesses to put more effort and research into human cooling because there’s a lot of reticence to dial away from fossil fuels.🤔
To me… “Too hot” is the temperature at which our food plants and trees die.
It's called adaptation.
Kelli! Great talk 😀 Working on this extra step of translating science to help everyone thrive better in the heat is a must! Rather than avoid heat at all costs, understanding the how and why gives agency back to people to ask for more in their cities 🙂
No words about what's causing global warming? Are we just supposed to pretend the fossil fuel industry did not know pollution from its products, if policy changes weren't made to address it, would cause this warming? They knew 50 years ago! Then spent decades funding PR packed with myths, half-truths, and outright lies to delay our elected leaders from being able to address the pollution problem before now.
I say, let's hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for liable. Let's claw back those ill-gotten gains, and use the funds to help us afford to make the changes we have to do to adapt to a hotter world.
Then let's address the future pollution problem by reducing it in the most cost-effective way: experts widely recommend federal Carbon Fee and Dividend with a CBAM legislation policy as our best real first move to start getting a handle on the pollution problem worldwide.
😮
The speaker essentially described the lifestyle changes and considerations that people in Phoenix AZ make every Summer. You have to plan your day around the heat or you could get sick or die. Many people here already figured out if they are going to to do anything outside in the Summer (and increasingly late Spring and early Fall) you have to do it before 8 am or wait til after the sunsets. We learn that we cant driblve anywhere without a bottle of water and a hat, because what if you have car trouble and you get stranded…what then? Youth sports leagues, farmers markets, music festivals (outdoors that is) just dont exist between June and September. Sad to see that the rest of the country and world will have to start living their daily life like Phoenicians do virtually half the year.
It's 106 at 5 pm in Austin today. Extreme Heat Warning, etc. Triple digits forecast all next week. Looking forward to that app!
What does it mean “too hot” Come spend a summer in Paris in 20m2 apartment with full south exposure day and night in 5 heatwaves with no aircon 😂
Just another reason not to have kids 🤔
Such a great talk! The day in the life of a parent with kids totally resonated with me. Every day, my kids look at the forecast and proceed to get bummed that they'll be inside for recess. We're in week 5 and they've been outside for recess only a handful of times.
This reminds me of how I structure my days on surf trips in central america around the UV index. I get up before sunrise. Surf before the sun gets too intense. Nap and do work indoors or in the shade from 10 to 5 and then surf again at sunset.
What an important conversation to be having as we heat up.
Incredible information and great ideas for work arounds with my toddler to live our best lives! Thank you for this and all your work Kelly!
I've lived in Miami my entire life. The stifling humidity is off the charts now. Night doesn't bring relief. Dew points are often above 75 degrees. Miami has become the Amazon. It really isn't the heat. It is the humidity. Thanks for the great Ted Talk.🥵
Shade as Metabolic Infrastructure is powerful concept
Literally melting in my hometown heat right now
I feel like we're living in a perpetual heat advisory. I can't even get a solid night's sleep without an AC nearby 🥵
This feels so unsustainable..
The heat is easily the least dystopian element in her hypothetical scenario.