Climate change could see up to 1.2 BILLION people suffer from unsafe temperatures - leading to exhaustion or even crippling heat stroke - by 2100

Researchers from the US modelled where extreme heat and humidity will occur

They found that heat stress could plague four times as many people as today

This is the likely outcome in a future in which greenhouse gases are not curbed

Heat stress harms human and animal health and also impacts the environment

Rising temperatures caused by climate change could see up to 1.2 billion people suffer from heat stress by 2100 if greenhouse gases are not curbed, a study found. 

Researcher from Rutgers University in New Jersey found that four times as many people could end up being impacted by heat stress than are today.

Heat stress harms human and animal health, agriculture, the economy and the environment.

Heat stress in humans is caused when the one is unable to cool down adequately by means of sweating — leading the body's temperature to rise dangerously. 

Rising temperatures caused by climate change could see up to 1.2 billion people suffer from heat stress by 2100 if greenhouse gases are not curbed, a study found

Previous studies into projected future climates and heat stress have typically focused on heat extremes, but overlooked another key driver — humidity.

'When we look at the risks of a warmer planet, we need to pay particular attention to combined extremes of heat and humidity, which are especially dangerous to human health,' explained climate scientist Robert Kopp of Rutgers University.

'Every bit of global warming makes hot, humid days more frequent and intense,' said paper author Dawei Li, who now works at the University of Massachusetts.

'In New York City, for example, the hottest, most humid day in a typical year already occurs about 11 times more frequently than it would have in the 19th century.'In their study, the researchers used 40 different climate simulations to examine how combined extremes of heat and humidity would occur on a warming Earth.

The team used a measure of heat stress that considered various individual factors — including temperature, humidity, wind speed and both solar and infrared radiation.

The models suggest that that areas currently home to some 500 million people would be subjected to extreme heat and humidity — in excess of safe levels — each year if the planet warms by the Paris Climate target of just 1.5°C (2.7°F).

This would increase to 800 million people under 2°C (3.6°F) of warming above pre-industrial levels and up to around 1.2 billion people should the planet warm by 3°C (5.4°F) — an increase expected under a 'business as usual' policy scenario.

The planet has already warmed by about 1.2°C (2.2°F) since the late 19th century.

'Every bit of global warming makes hot, humid days more frequent and intense,' said paper author Dawei Li, who now works at the University of Massachusetts. 'In New York City, for example, the hottest, most humid day in a typical year already occurs about 11 times more frequently than it would have in the 19th century'

Scientific studies link heat wave in Europe to climate change

Heat stress in humans is caused when the one is unable to cool down adequately by means of sweating — leading the body's temperature to rise rapidly, which can ultimately damage the brain and other organs.

Its most severe form, heat stroke, can kill or cause permanent disability if emergency treatment is not administered, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned.

The most common manifestation of heat stress is heat exhaustion, however, with other milder conditions including heat rash and heat cramps.

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

WHY WAS EUROPE IN THE GRIP OF A HEATWAVE IN SUMMER 2019?

WHAT CAUSED THE HEATWAVE?

The heatwave was triggered by the build-up of high pressures over Europe over the past few days, leading to the northward movement of warm air from Europe over the UK.

'At this time of year southerly winds will always lead to above average temperatures,' said University of Reading meteorologist Peter Inness. 

'Air from continental Europe, the Mediterranean and even North Africa is brought over the UK.'

'The eastward passage of weather fronts and low pressures from the North Atlantic are currently being blocked by the high pressure over Europe,' added University of Reading climate scientist Len Shaffrey. 

WAS IT RELATED TO THE US HEATWAVE?

The US's recent warm weather was caused by a high-pressure dome building up over much of the country, trapping the summer heat.

This has wider-reaching effects.

'Heatwave conditions in the U.S Midwest and the East coast have strengthened the jet stream,' explained environmental scientist Kate Sambrook of the University of Leeds.

'The resulting thunderstorms occurring on the continent have helped the jet stream to meander and move to the north of the U.K.'

'As a result of this shift, hot air has been drawn up from Europe causing the high temperatures we are experiencing this week.'

The US's warm weather had been caused by a high-pressure dome building up over much of the country, trapping the summer heat

HOW LONG WILL THE HEAT LAST?

'Although there is some uncertainty in the forecast, it looks like it will become cooler on Friday as the high pressure over Europe moves slowly towards the east,' said Dr Shaffrey.

'This will allow weather fronts to move over the UK, bringing cooler air and possibly some rain,' Professor Shaffrey added,

HOW HOT WILL IT GET?

Meteorologists are predicting high temperatures reaching up to 100°F (38°C) over central and Eastern England on Thursday.

Although different forecasts are anticipating slightly different details, 'the broad message of all the forecasts is the same,' said Dr Inness.

'It will be hot, with high temperatures persisting through the night time periods, and there is the risk of some thunderstorms over the UK.'

These will continue through Wednesday. 

'If conditions continue, it is likely that we could experience the hottest July on record,' said Dr Sambrook.

'However, the outcome is uncertain as conditions are expected to change early next week.' 

University of Oxford climate scientist Karsten Haustein added that 'there is a 40–50 per cent chance that this will be the warmest July on record.'

The final estimate depends on which observational dataset is used, he noted.

While agreeing that the next week's weather will determine this July's place in the record books, Dr Inness noted that 2019 did bring us the warmest June known since the year 1880.

'In fact, 9 of the 10 warmest Junes in the global record have happened since 2000', he said. 

In Europe, he noted, this June was also the warmest on record, reaching almost a whole degree Celsius above the previous number one back in 2003.

'Weather records are not normally broken by such large margins — a few tenths of a degree would be more likely.'

The present conditions may turn out to be record-breaking, but they are also part of a recent trend towards warmer UK summers.

'2018 was the joint hottest [year] on record with highest temperature measured at around 35°C, similar to temperatures expected this week,' said University of Leeds climatologist Declan Finney. 

The likelihood of experiencing such hot summers has risen from a less than 10 per cent chance in the 1980s to as high as a 25 per chance today, he added.

IS CLIMATE CHANGE CAUSING HEATWAVES?

'The fact that so many recent years have had very high summer temperatures both globally and across Europe is very much in line with what we expect from man-made global warming,' said Dr Inness.

'Changes in the intensity and likelihood of extreme weather is how climate change manifests,' said environmental scientist Friederike Otto of the University of Oxford.

'That doesn’t mean every extreme event is more intense because of it, but a lot are. For example, every heatwave occurring in Europe today is made more likely and more intense by human-induced climate change.'

However, local factors also play a role, with each extreme weather event being influenced by the location, season, intensity and duration.

The present heatwave is not the only notable indicator of climate change, experts note, with ongoing droughts — such as those being experienced in many parts of Germany — also being in line with scientific predictions.

Research into the 2003 European heatwave suggested at the time that human activity had more than doubled the risk of such warm summers — and that annual heatwaves like we are experiencing now could become commonplace by around the middle of the century.

'It has been estimated that about 35,000 people died as a result of the European heatwave in 2003, so this is not a trivial issue,' said Dr Inness.

'With further climate change there could be a 50% chance of having hot summers in the future,' agreed Dr Finney.

'That's similar to saying that a normal summer in future will be as hot as our hottest summers to date,' he added.

Canoo revealed its all-electric lounge vehicle in September that is leased through a monthly subscription

The package includes maintenance, registration, access to insurance and charging access

The waitlist is free to join and consumers can gain points by referring others and completing surveys 

At the official launch in 2021, those with the most points will have first access to leasing one of the vehicles.

You could soon add another subscription payment to your credit card, but for a car.

Los Angeles startup Canoo has opened up the waitlist for its lounge-like electric vehicles that consumers lease through a monthly fee.

The firm is calling this release 'The First Wave', which lets consumers earn points for referring others to join and completing surveys.

Those with the most point will be at the top of the waitlist when the automobiles launch in 2021 - and it is free for customers to add their name to the list.

Canoo's subscription is based on a monthly subscription that includes maintenance, registration, access to insurance and charging on a month-to-month basis.

Los Angeles startup Canoo has opened up the waitlist for its lounge-like electric vehicles that consumers lease through a monthly fee. The firm is calling this release 'The First Wave', which lets consumers earn points for referring others to join and completing surveys

Ulrich Kranz, co-founder of Canoo, said: 'When we revealed our subscription-only canoo vehicle back in September, we were overwhelmed with the positive response we got from consumers.'

'Now we are excited to offer our community the opportunity to sign up to ride The First Wave with us.'As part of our all-inclusive, hassle-free and commitment-free car experience, people can join the waitlist in a matter of seconds with no obligation.'

'We believe that the potential of EV architecture can enable a post-SUV era that addresses the ever-growing desire for space and value.' 

Canoo; a subscription only electric car

Those with the most point will be at the top of the waitlist when the automobiles launch in 2021 - and it is free for customers to add their name to the list. Canoo's subscription is based on a monthly subscription that includes maintenance, registration, access to insurance and charging on a month-to-month basis

The battery, which reaches an 80 percent charge in just 28 minutes, provides about 250 miles on a single charge and its two engines can produce more than 300 horsepower, allowing it to top speeds of 125 miles per hour – and it goes zero to 60 in just seven seconds

The firm is set to officially launch the vehicles in 2021

The firm is not setting a specific duration for commitment and different packages will be available that the firm claims are all affordable.

The lounge car resembles a min-van with a futuristic, sleek design, and it has a symmetrical form to maximize the interior space.

And sticking with the lounge theme, the firm built in a few folding chairs into the sides of the doors and a wraparound couch in the back, according to Cnet.

The battery, which reaches an 80 percent charge in just 28 minutes, provides about 250 miles on a single charge and its two engines can produce more than 300 horsepower, allowing it to top speeds of 125 miles per hour – and it goes zero to 60 in just seven seconds.

The lounge car resembles a min-van with a futuristic, sleek design, and it has a symmetrical form to maximize the interior space. And sticking with the lounge theme, the firm built in a few folding chairs into the sides of the doors

The firm is not setting a specific duration for commitment and different packages will be available that the firm claims are all affordable, but it promises the vehicle will be comfortable - it has built a wraparound couch in the back

The vehicle is enveloped in 22 different windows that include roof, safari and street view.

Richard Kim, who is in charge of the vehicles design, noted: 'We chose to completely rethink car design and focus on what future users will actually need. Thus, we came up with this loft-inspired vehicle.'

Each vehicle will use a standard undercarriage that it calls a 'skateboard' atop which customers can select different 'top hats' that create the interior of the car.

The company says it plans to roll out four styles of electric car by 2021 that include a 'lifestyle vehicle' a 'last-mile delivery' vehicle, a 'ride-hailing' vehicle, and a 'personal commuter' vehicle.

DECLASSIFIED UFO REPORT DOCUMENTS 'GREEN CIRCULAR OBJECT' OVER SOVIET EXPERIMENTAL MISSILE RANGE

AN INTELLIGENCE REPORT NEWLY DECLASSIFIED BY THE CIA SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON A NEARLY 50-YEAR-OLD UFO MYSTERY, REVEALING DETAILS GATHERED FROM AN EXPERIMENTAL MISSILE RANGE IN PRESENT-DAY KAZAKHSTAN.

The report not only includes unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), but rumored Cold War "laser weapons."

The UFO sighting took place in 1973 and was first revealed to the public in an "Intelligence Information Report" released by the CIA in 1978. Heavily redacted, the declassified version of the document contains only a single paragraph, detailing an encounter with a UFO at a location called "Site 7."

The UFO encounter took place in the summer, when the sighting's source "stepped outside for some air," taking a break from watching a Canada vs. USSR sports match on TV. It was evening, and the source saw above "an unidentified sharp (bright) green circular object or mass in the sky."

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The UFO spotter believed the object was hovering above the cloud level, though it was a clear sky at the time of the sighting. The source was not, however, able to estimate the object's diameter.

A parade of missiles passes a Lenin poster in Moscow's Red Square in November 1978 druing the 61st anniversary celebration of the Russian Revolution.

PHOTO BY KEYSTONE/GETTY IMAGES

The sighting got weirder from there: "Within 10 to 15 seconds of observation, the green circle widened and within a brief period of time several green concentric circles formed around the mass. Within minutes the coloring disappeared. There was no sound, such as an explosion, associated with the phenomenon," the document says.

But after a request for a Mandatory Declassification Review from researcher John Greenewald of The Black Vault—a site specializing in declassified government records—the CIA released a fuller picture of the sighting, which was recorded in the context of a detailed intelligence report into military activities at the Soviet Union's Sary Shagan Weapons Testing Range.Greenewald drew a direct line between Cold War-era sightings and similar UAP encounters documented by the U.S. Department of Defense, most famously the unidentified objects featured in three U.S. Navy videos released by the To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science in 2017 and early 2018. Subsequently, a military official revealed to The Washington Post that UAPs intrude upon military airspace as often as several times per month.

"This is very much simliar to the context we see today, with threats on military facilities," Greenewald told Newsweek in a telephone interview. "The U.S. Navy has gone on the record saying whatever this is, it's a concern. They're being encroached upon by this unidentified phenomena."

The more fully declassified file released by the CIA details activities at the testing range, including rough maps of the facilities, the command hierarchy and personnel estimates, making it a fascinating Cold War-era intelligence even absent the dramatic UFO encounter. Weapons tested at the facility included experimental missiles and warheads with cartridges loaded with hundreds of metal balls.

A map of the facilities at Sary Shagan, included in a more fully declassified CIA intelligence report.

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

More experimental weapons may also have been under development at the testing range. "According to hearsay, experiments involving laser weapons were conducted at an unknown location at the range. Supposedly the tests involved powerful antennas," the report notes.

Site 7, where the UFO sighting took place, was the headquarters for the "warhead checkout unit" and a garrison of Soviet Air Force personnel.

While lesser known in U.S. research circles, the sighting is just one of numerous encounters with unidentified aerial phenomena surrounding Soviet military installations throught the Cold War era, similar to unexplained encroachments still recorded by the U.S. military today.

Newsweek has also reached out to the Central Intelligence Agency with a request for additional context surrounding the document, but did not hear back in time for publication.

The area where the alleged UFO was spotted nearly five decades ago was apparently used by the USSR to test experimental missiles and laser weapon systems.

A recently declassified CIA report sheds light on an alleged UFO encounter that took place at the height of the Cold War in Kazakhstan in 1973, back when it was part of the Soviet Union.

The document, whose redacted version was first released in 1978 and which has now been made available on The Black Vault, a website that publishes declassified government files, mentions how the witness, identified in the paper as “Source”, “stepped outside for some air” and spotted “an unidentified sharp (bright) green circular object or mass” hovering “above cloud level”.

“Within 10 to 15 seconds of observation, the green circle widened and within a brief period of time, several green concentric circles formed around the mass. Within minutes the coloring disappeared. There was no sound, such as an explosion, associated with the phenomenon”, the document states citing the witness’ observations.

According to the website, the sighting took place in the vicinity of the Sary Shagan Weapons Testing Range that was allegedly used by the USSR back then to secretly launch “experimental missiles” and to test “laser weapon systems utilizing powerful antennas”.

During a telephone interview with Newsweek, The Black Vault’s founder John Greenewald compared the encounter with the so-called USS Nimitz UFO incident which took place in 2004.

“This is very much similar to the context we see today, with threats on military facilities,” he said. “The US Navy has gone on the record saying whatever this is, it’s a concern. They’re being encroached upon by this unidentified phenomenon.

What the world will look like in 50 years: Underwater roads, hoverboard quidditch and self-cleaning homes will all be part of normal life in 2069, experts predict

• Samsung report marks the opening of the firm's new 'experience space' and retail store in King's Cross
• It claims the futuristic developments will all become commonplace in our lives within the next 50 years' time
• Predictions have been compiled by a group of academics and futurists from a variety of different disciplines 

Underwater highways, hoverboard-based sports and holidays in space are some of the upcoming revelations which will be commonplace in 50 years' time, a new report on the future of technology has predicted.

The report also predicts the mass-scale production of 3D-printed organs, implants to monitor our health and self-cleaning homes will be key parts of everyday life.

The predictions have been compiled by a group of academics and futurists, including TechUK president and co-chair of the Institute of Coding Jacqueline de Rojas, director of engineering and education at the Royal Academy of Engineering, Dr Rhys Morgan and food futurologist Dr Morgaine Gaye.

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Underwater highways, hoverboard-based sports and holidays in space will be commonplace in 50 years' time, a new report on the future of technology has predicted. Pictured: Concept images for flying busesThe report was commissioned by Samsung to mark the opening of Samsung KX, the technology firm's new 'experience space' and retail store in King's Cross, London, which will host tech tutorials, health and wellbeing sessions and other classes.

Called Samsung KX50: The Future in Focus, it suggests that by 2069 transport will have been revolutionised - with underwater tube transport systems in use between the UK, mainland Europe and other regions, where high-speed pods transport travellers between some countries in less than an hour.

Flying taxis and buses will also be used in urban areas to cut congestion, while more long-distance travel will involve reusable rockets flying in the upper atmosphere and at high-speed, cutting travel time between London and New York to under 30 minutes, the report suggests.

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The report also predicts the mass-scale production of 3D-printed organs, implants to monitor our health and self-cleaning homes will be key parts of everyday life. Pictured: Underwater highway concept, complete with 'pod shuttles

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The predictions have been compiled by a group of academics and futurists, including TechUK president and co-chair of the Institute of Coding Jacqueline de Rojas, director of engineering and education at the Royal Academy of Engineering, Dr Rhys Morgan and food futurologist Dr Morgaine Gaye. Pictured: Another concept for flying buses

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The report was commissioned by Samsung to mark the opening of Samsung KX, the technology firm's new 'experience space' and retail store in King's Cross, London (pictured) which will host tech tutorials, health and wellbeing sessions and other classes

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Called Samsung KX50: The Future in Focus, it suggests that by 2069 transport will have been revolutionised - with underwater tube transport systems in use between the UK, mainland Europe and other regions, where high-speed pods transport travellers between some countries in less than an hour. Pictured: A concept image for a space hotel

TOP PREDICTIONS FOR THE FUTURE BY TECH EXPERTS  

1 - Underwater highways - A subsonic tube transport system will be created as a sealed tube system that is travelled using pods, enabling connections between the UK and mainland Europe as far as Scandinavia in under an hour

2 - Underground skyscrapers - So-called earthscrapers, inverted skyscrapers, which burrow downwards for many storeys into the ground, enabling the withstanding of earthquakes.

3 - Self-Cleaning homes - At the press of the button, homes will 'self clean' when you leave the house or while you are sleeping

4 - Space hotels - Holidays to space, in which space hotels orbit the Moon or other planets, generating their own gravity

5 - 3D printing of organs - Providing replacements for people in need or organ transplants or to improve performance, giving night-vision or super-speed

6 - High street insect-burger takeaways - Insects at set to become one of our main food protein sources.

7 - Flying buses and taxis - We'll be stepping into the nearest available 'air taxi' as a high power drone-copter will fly us above the traffic to speed us to our destination

8 - Body implants that monitor our health and translate any language - A digital companion that gets to know us and our health over our lifetime, which keeps track of our health needs

9 - Quidditch-style aerial sport matches on hoverboards - We'll be cheering on our favourite sporting teams as they fly around the stadium on hoverboards, in Quidditch-style four-dimensional sport matches

10 - Interactive movies, physically taking part in what we watch via VR - When it comes to watching films at home, affordable, refined haptic suits that create sensations of touch, which will fool all five of our senses, allowing us to physically feel the film or video game

In health, virtual companions and carers will become common, tracking a person's health status throughout their life and able to translate symptoms and conditions into any language.

The large-scale 3D printing of vital organs will offer instant replacements to those who need them and insects will have become a key protein source, the report claims, with kitchens of the future equipped with counter-top growing pods and tools to harvest the insects produced.

Ms de Rojas, who co-authored the report, told MailOnline: 'The next 50 years will bring the largest technological changes and innovations we have ever seen in our work and leisure. 

'The Digital Revolution, just as the Industrial Revolution did 250 years ago, is challenging all our assumptions about how we shall lead our future lives.'

Flying taxis and buses will also be used in urban areas to cut congestion, while more long-distance travel will involve reusable rockets flying in the upper atmosphere and at high-speed, cutting travel time between London and New York to under 30 minutes, the report suggests. Pictured: A concept image for a Quidditch-like hoverboard sport

In health, virtual companions and carers will become common, tracking a person's health status throughout their life and able to translate symptoms and conditions into any language. Pictured: The new King's Cross Samsung retail space

The large-scale 3D printing of vital organs will offer instant replacements to those who need them and insects will have become a key protein source, the report claims, with kitchens of the future equipped with counter-top growing pods and tools to harvest the insects produced/ Pictured: A concept image for Samsung's connected living space

The report also asked Britons which of the predictions they would most like to see become a reality, and 63 per cent of those surveyed said self-cleaning homes, powered by robot technology would be their top choice, followed by implants to monitor health stats and flying taxis and buses.

Tanya Weller, director of Samsung Showcase, KX, said: 'Fifty years ago we could have never predicted such changes to the way we live, work, travel and eat. 

'Samsung has always been a future-facing company, we exist to create human-driven innovations that defy barriers to progress.

'As a brand, we're not just about making products that embrace the future, we want to help prepare people to navigate the future with confidence. 

'As the new Samsung KX destination opens in Coal Drops Yard, we're excited that our guests will have the opportunity to discover a range of new, one-of-a-kind tech innovations, powered by Samsung technology.'

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Ms de Rojas, who co-authored the report, said: 'The next 50 years will bring the largest technological changes and innovations we have ever seen in our work and leisure. The Digital Revolution, just as the Industrial Revolution did 250 years ago, is challenging all our assumptions about how we shall lead our future lives.' Pictured: The new King's Cross retail space

The report also asked Britons which of the predictions they would most like to see become a reality, and 63% of those surveyed said self-cleaning homes, powered by robot technology would be their top choice, followed by implants to monitor health stats and flying taxis and buses. Pictured: A concept for a flying vehicle's cockpit

Tanya Weller, director of Samsung Showcase, KX, said: 'Fifty years ago we could have never predicted such changes to the way we live, work, travel and eat. Samsung has always been a future-facing company, we exist to create human-driven innovations that defy barriers to progress.' Pictured: Concept images for a new urban skyscraper, with underground area

Ms Weller added: 'As a brand, we're not just about making products that embrace the future, we want to help prepare people to navigate the future with confidence'. Pictured: An annotated concept image of an underground skyscraper