Extreme heat more dangerous for people 60 and over than previously thought

# Analysis This research carries immediate implications for public health policy in aging societies. If older adults enter dangerous heat stress at lower temperature thresholds than current guidelines assume, existing cooling center protocols, emergency alert systems, and heat wave response plans are likely calibrated too conservatively—potentially leaving millions of vulnerable people without adequate protection during routine summer heat events. The finding is particularly consequential for countries with rapidly aging populations like Japan, South Korea, and much of Europe, where a significant share of the population already exceeds age 60. As global temperatures continue to rise even under optimistic emissions scenarios, this means heat-related mortality and hospitalization among seniors could accelerate faster than current projections suggest, straining healthcare systems and necessitating more aggressive adaptation measures—from urban cooling infrastructure to revised workplace regulations—than governments are currently planning for.