Heat truly is the silent killer. While I fully expect one large and very public event of wet-bulb temperature exceedance leading to mass casualties within this decade, lethal levels of heat quietly collect bodies in the meantime.

300 Muslim pilgrims just died in 49C/120F temperatures doing their lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca (the Hajj) which this year coincides with the hottest season. The story is barely registering in the news. See https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/19/middleeast/hajj-deaths-mecca-extreme-heat-intl-latam/index.html

Then, people are dying one by one in isolated incidents, and heatstrokes are being suspected as the common denominator. See https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/19/climate/extreme-heat-brain-greece-tourists/index.html

If this is happening to humans, despite their superior ability (in principle) to predict and shelter from the heat, imagine the silent consequences to the fauna and flora that can't escape.

PhD in aviation ∩ climate science | ETH fiend | Dad, aviator, diver | Wannabe nexialist | Hang on tightly, let go lightly | /thomas | aviationdoctor.eth