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Rising Temperatures Fire Up Conflict

Heat speeds up chemical reactions, physical scientists have long known.

But did you know that heat also ramps up human violence?

Three economists at the University of California, Berkeley found a statistically significant correlationbetween extreme heat and conflict.

In their recently published study, "Quantifying the Influence of Climate on Human Conflict," the authors looked at 60 studies of aggression and violence, ranging from dynasty overthrow and civilization collapse to small-scale phenomena such as fights between players at sports events and increased honking of car horns on hot days.

 

 

 

 

Edward Miguel, Oxfam professor in environmental and resource economics at the University of California, Berkeley

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