Study: Hotter Temperatures Lead to Hotter Tempers Seth Borenstein - Associated Press
go to original August 2, 2013

A groundbreaking report published by Nature Geoscience found that average worldwide temperatures over the past thirty years were "higher than any other time in nearly 1,400 years." (NASA/vengencefrom1979)

As the world gets warmer, people are more likely to get hot under the collar, scientists say. A massive new study finds that aggressive acts like committing violent crimes and waging war become more likely with each added degree.

Researchers analyzed 60 studies on historic empire collapses, recent wars, violent crime rates in the United States, lab simulations that tested police decisions on when to shoot and even cases where pitchers threw deliberately at batters in baseball. They found a common thread over centuries: Extreme weather — very hot or dry — means more violence.

The authors say the results show strong evidence that climate can promote conflict.

"When the weather gets bad we tend to be more willing to hurt other people," said economist Solomon Hsiang of the University of California, Berkeley.

Read the rest at The Economic Times

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