Yes, this is a new one. I’ve seen the cult yammer about animals and fish and insects and birds shrinking, but, not this one
Climate change is shrinking children’s height – and humidity is making things worse
Researchers have warned of the unexpected consequences of extremely hot, humid conditions during pregnancy.
Millions of children risk experiencing stunted growth if heat-trapping emissions continue to bake the planet.
“If”. What of all the tall people born in hot, humid places? Hawaiians aren’t Hobbits, nor in places like Micronesia, etc.
The new report, published in Science Advances, found that humidity worsens the outcome of extreme heat compared to high temperatures alone. This is mainly because humans cool down by sweating, but evaporation slows when the air is humid.
They do know humidity is nothing new, right? It didn’t start during the Industrial Revolution
Researchers analysed the ratio of a child’s height compared to the average for their age, which is commonly used as a chronic health indicator for children under the age of five.
They found that the majority of children who experienced increases in heat and humidity during every trimester before birth would be 13 per cent shorter for their age than expected. In contrast, increases in extreme heat exposure alone translated to a one per cent reduction in height for age.
The study was conducted on pregnant women living in South Asia, which scientists argue could be hit particularly hard by extreme heat in the coming years.
Oh, so, let’s look at 3rd world nations with poor healthcare to start with. It’s all so silly. But, the point of the story is for people to see the headline, maybe first couple lines of the fable, and freak out, Demanding Government Do Something.
But smaller people isn’t a bad thing. Humans invented step ladders long ago. Smaller people are more environmentally sustainable, needing less food, fabric to cover them and fuel to move them. Hollywood even made a movie about it (Downsizing). Climate activists need to get on message and decide among themselves what they are trying to achieve with their activism (besides earning a paycheck).
Isn’t calling smaller children “stunted” a form of bigotry? The normal distribution of human heights already is pretty diverse. Other than facing height bias, how is being smaller inherently worse?
Personally, I would prefer getting on an airplane with a bunch of 100 pound people instead of 300 pound people.