Extreme heat taxes the body in many ways. Here’s how

Hotter nights and more humid heat waves are pushing the limits of the human body

A man sitting in a dark gymnasium with a wet towel draped over his head and upper body.

Extreme heat waves are pushing the human body to the limit. Without ways to cool down, the high temperatures can prove harmful or even fatal. Here, a person attempts to stay cool during a record-breaking heat wave in Phoenix on July 18.

Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images Plus

July 2023 was the hottest month ever recorded.