As extreme temperatures rise globally, a silent danger is building—and it could be accelerating how rapidly we get older. Beyond the evident destruction of heat exhaustion, dehydration, and stress brought on by the climate, science is beginning to discover deeper, less evident harm: heat waves could be speeding up cellular aging.

With historic highs in global temperatures and rising frequency of heatwaves, particularly in the U.S. and Asia, scientists are calling for consideration at the nexus of environmental heat and epigenetic ageing.

What is Epigenetic Age?

Chronological age is the age on your driver's license, but epigenetic age is the age written far down in your cells. This scientific term tracks how old your body is biologically, based on chemical alterations in your DNA. These alterations, referred to as DNA methylation, function like switches that flip genes on and off. As we get older, these patterns change—and scientists use them to approximate biological age with instruments referred to as "epigenetic clocks."

Your epigenetic age doesn’t always match your chronological one. Influences like pollution, stress, poor lifestyle habits, and now—heat exposure—can accelerate epigenetic aging. This internal ticking clock impacts everything from how quickly your skin ages to your ability to fight disease, recover from illness, or manage inflammation.

Is Your DNA A New Risk Factor?

In 2023, a new German study published in Environment International found a strong association between heat exposure and epigenetic age acceleration. Scientists discovered that in areas where average annual temperatures were only 1°C higher, individuals exhibited evidence of accelerated biological aging.

Wenli Ni, a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health postdoctoral research fellow and first author of the study, explained that heat stress affects DNA methylation patterns. These alterations can compromise gene function, accelerate aging, and cause a cascade of biological damage—particularly if the exposure is chronic.

Additionally, Taiwan studies that had more than 2,000 participants upheld the association. The increase in biological age was attributed to a rise of 1°C from the average of 180 days by 0.04 to 0.08 years. At first, it might appear negligible in the short term, but when consistent throughout years and population, it aids in premature occurrence of diseases that are related to age and makes healthcare burdens worse on a worldwide scale.

Why The Heat in 2024 Was a Tipping Point?

2024 was the hottest year ever, with almost 6.8 billion individuals facing record-breaking heat for a minimum of a month. Health professionals in areas such as India observed an influx of patients who looked physically older than their age, which sent alarm signals regarding the influence of climate on the health and lifespan of human beings.

One such U.S.-based study, published in Science Advances, looked at more than 3,500 adults older than age 56 and discovered a robust association between prolonged heat exposure (1–6 years) and cellular aging. Chronic heat not only disturbed sleep and increased levels of stress, but also played a role in biological deterioration that grew more severe with time.

The German study also emphasized that women, and especially those with Type 2 diabetes or obesity, showed stronger links between heat and increased aging. Women produce less sweat and their bodies generally take longer to trigger cooling, placing them at a physiological disadvantage during heatwaves.

Diabetics and the obese also have difficulty with heat dissipation because of decreased blood flow and insulating body fat, which complicates the release of heat from the core to the skin. These conditions further enhance the biological effect of heat, raising the risk of cardiovascular issues, kidney injury, and premature chronic diseases.

Epigenetic Impact Before Birth

Unsettlingly, even the effect of heat and climatic stress may start pre-natally. A recent research study, conducted on Kenya-based drought-stricken mothers who published their paper in Nature, suggested that intra-uterine exposure to harsh external environmental conditions contributed to hastened aging of their children.

Stress during pregnancy, water deprivation, caloric deficit, and psychogenic stress induced epigenetic changes in fetuses under development—showing that ageing might be modifiable by external surroundings even before one's life is started. All this indicates towards a dire requirement of addressing determinants of well-being, including access to nutrition, water, and gender balance, especially among climate-risk districts.

Ways to Protect Against Heat-Related Ageing

While reversing climate change will take systemic global action, individuals can take key steps to protect themselves from heat-induced aging:

1. Stay Hydrated

Dehydration is one of the most immediate risks of extreme heat. Drink water frequently—don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Carry water when heading outdoors and avoid alcohol and caffeine in hot weather.

2. Keep Cool

Use air conditioning when possible. If it’s not available, electric fans can offer relief when the indoor temperature is below 104°F (40°C). Keep your skin damp with a wet towel, mist bottle, or sponge baths. Visit air-conditioned public spaces like malls or libraries.

3. Dress Smart

Wear light-colored, breathable clothing. Avoid tight fabrics. Use wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen to protect your skin from direct sun exposure.

4. Plan Smartly

Avoid hard work between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., the usual peak heat period. Schedule chores in the morning or evening when it's cooler.

5. Check In With At-Risk People

The most susceptible are older people, young children, pregnant women, and those with serious illness. Make sure they avoid heat and drink plenty of water when a heatwave hits.

The connection between climate and aging is no longer conjecture—it's quantifiable and based on several worldwide studies. As heat waves and frigid days become the norm, public health infrastructure needs to change by not only addressing heat as a weather phenomenon, but as a constant health threat.

Long-term solutions will require more than individual behavior. Governments and health institutions will have to prioritize heat preparedness plans, enhance urban infrastructure, and establish cooling centers. Policies specifically targeting enhancement of food security, safeguarding pregnant women, and mitigating occupational exposure to heat—particularly among women in labor-intensive occupations will be crucial.

In conclusion, if we don't take action to stem the increasing menace of heat extremes, we are likely to wind the clock forward—not only on climate, but on the human life expectancy as well. To age more quickly as a result of exposure to the environment is a brewing public health emergency and the world needs to wake up to it.

The growing crossover of artificial intelligence and healthcare, a man claims that OpenAI’s ChatGPT may have saved his life—just in time. After initially brushing off his symptoms as minor, the AI chatbot’s firm directive to “Go to the hospital. NOW” became a wake-up call he couldn’t ignore. Had he waited just 30 more minutes, doctors reportedly told him he might have lost a vital organ.

Now, his story is sparking a global conversation about the real-time potential of AI to augment healthcare decisions in everyday life.

Flavio Adamo, a tech-savvy user from X (formerly Twitter), shared his harrowing health scare on April 18. He had gone to bed the night before with mild, unexplained discomfort. The sensation wasn’t excruciating, and like many of us, he assumed a night’s rest would be enough to shake it off.

But by morning, the pain had worsened. Unsure of whether it was serious or not, Adamo turned to ChatGPT, the AI chatbot from OpenAI, for a second opinion more out of curiosity than concern.

What followed wasn’t the vague, generic advice many expect from a chatbot. Instead, it was an immediate and striking warning:

“Go to the hospital. NOW.”

The unusually strong tone took him by surprise. “ChatGPT had never reacted this strongly before,” Adamo wrote. At first, he was skeptical. Could a piece of software really interpret his symptoms with any level of medical accuracy?

But as the pain intensified, Adamo decided to heed the AI’s advice.

30-Minute Window That Made All the Difference

When he arrived at the hospital, doctors moved quickly. Though Adamo has chosen to keep the exact medical condition private, he revealed that his situation was dire.

“Won’t go into details,” he posted, “but doctors said if I had arrived 30 minutes later, I would've lost an organ.”

While we may never know the specific diagnosis—appendicitis, kidney torsion, a ruptured cyst, or other organ-threatening emergencies all fall within the spectrum of conditions where time is the most critical factor. A delay of just half an hour can mark the difference between organ preservation and irreversible loss.

The key here wasn’t that ChatGPT diagnosed him—but that it recognized a pattern of symptoms severe enough to warrant urgent medical attention.

AI in Health

AI’s role in healthcare is rapidly evolving. While ChatGPT is not a replacement for licensed medical professionals, its capacity to analyze large sets of data and offer well-informed responses can provide valuable first-level guidance especially for individuals unsure whether their symptoms merit a hospital trip.

According to health data experts, AI systems trained on large medical databases can recognize potentially alarming symptom clusters more efficiently than unstructured internet searches or unverified forums.

When Technology and Diagnostic Timing Intersect?

Adamo’s story isn’t just a feel-good anecdote about tech. It’s a timely reminder of how technology can offer life-saving nudges in moments of uncertainty. His post has since gone viral, capturing public imagination and fueling discussions on platforms like Reddit and LinkedIn.

Even Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, weighed in on the story with a simple but powerful response, “Really happy to hear!”

While ChatGPT remains a tool meant for educational and informational use, stories like Adamo’s point to its growing utility when time is of the essence. It also reflects the need for responsible use: recognizing that while AI can offer guidance, it’s not a substitute for licensed, in-person medical care.

Adamo’s experience has broader implications. In a world where healthcare access is inconsistent and medical anxiety often leads people to delay treatment, AI-driven tools can act as intermediaries, prompting users to take that critical first step toward care.

Health experts emphasize, however, that while AI can support patient awareness, it’s essential that users follow up with licensed professionals. The danger lies not in the technology, but in overreliance without follow-through. Stories like this are encouraging but they should lead to more responsible tech use, not blind faith.

Measles, a virus that was once officially eradicated in the United States in 2000, is making a shocking comeback — this time with more sinister layers than ever before. More than 1,000 measles cases have been confirmed across the United States in 2025, a saddening milestone of the nation's struggle with a disease it was officially announced as eliminated as far back as the year 2000. State and regional health agencies along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report at least 1,002 cases so far this year—an astonishing number putting 2025 on pace to equal 2019, which was the century's worst measles year to date.

In a hard to watch medical video released by neurologists in India of a once-healthy 4-year-old boy lies on a hospital bed, eyes darting wildly, limbs convulsing, and lips foaming as his tiny body fights a losing battle against a preventable disease. The footage—published in JAMA Neurology offers more than a glimpse into one family’s nightmare. It is a sobering wake-up call for the world: measles is not just a childhood illness with a fever and rash. Left unchecked, it can be a silent predator that devastates the brain and kills with merciless precision.

The child in the video suffers from Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare but invariably fatal neurological complication that follows a measles infection. His case serves as a dire warning about the consequences of skipping the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine—a message particularly urgent amid falling vaccination rates and surging outbreaks globally.

WATCH VIDEO HERE

What is SSPE?

SSPE is a progressive, degenerative brain disorder caused by a persistent infection with a mutated measles virus. What makes SSPE especially cruel is its latency. The virus often lurks undetected in the brain for years after a seemingly mild infection before it begins destroying neurons, causing inflammation, and forming lethal lesions.

In this child’s case, his decline started with subtle symptoms—jerky limb movements, unsteadiness, and cognitive changes over six months. His parents, unaware of a previous measles infection and unable to recall any characteristic rash or fever, never had him vaccinated. It was only after his condition worsened—marked by erratic, swirling eye movements known as opsoclonus—that neurologists diagnosed SSPE.

Despite aggressive treatment with antivirals and anticonvulsants, his fate is tragically sealed. SSPE is almost always fatal, and no curative therapy exists.

What is Measles and Why Is It A Dangerous Condition?

Measles is often underestimated, dismissed by many as a benign childhood disease. But data tells a far more troubling story. A typical measles infection causes high fever, cough, runny nose, and a characteristic red rash. However, about 20% of infected children in the U.S. will be hospitalized, with complications ranging from pneumonia to diarrhea and severe ear infections that can cause permanent hearing loss.

One in 1,000 will develop encephalitis (brain inflammation), and up to three in 1,000 will die due to respiratory or neurological complications. Long after the acute phase ends, measles continues to sabotage the immune system through "immune amnesia"—a condition where the body forgets how to defend against other pathogens, leaving children vulnerable to secondary infections for up to three years.

And then there's SSPE. Though rare—with 11 cases per 100,000 measles infections on average—the risk significantly increases in children infected before age five. For them, the rate is 18 per 100,000, with symptoms surfacing seven to ten years post-infection.

The boy’s case stood out for an unusual symptom: opsoclonus—rapid, multidirectional eye movements typically associated with paraneoplastic brain syndromes or severe brain inflammation. This is believed to be the first case of SSPE captured on video with this specific presentation. Medical experts believe these movements may result from the destruction of specialized neurons like Purkinje and omnipause cells, which are critical for coordinated eye and body movement.

The presence of opsoclonus in SSPE not only expands clinical understanding of the condition but also underlines its neurological complexity—and the helplessness of medical interventions once the disease takes hold.

Is this Measles Outbreak Exacerbated by Misinformation and Complacency?

Globally, measles cases are climbing again. After decades of progress, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine immunizations, and anti-vaccine rhetoric has flourished in its wake. In the United States, measles outbreaks are at their highest in over 25 years, and several communities have immunization rates far below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity.

The situation is compounded by influential figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who continue to promote vaccine skepticism, undermining public health messaging and placing children at direct risk.

Public health experts warn that if these trends continue, measles could once again become endemic in the United States—a devastating reversal of years of progress.

Why Measles Vaccination is the Only Defence?

The MMR vaccine is one of the most rigorously tested and safest vaccines available. Two doses provide 97% protection against measles. Side effects are typically mild—such as fever or a sore arm—and serious adverse effects are extremely rare.

Before the vaccine’s introduction in 1963, measles caused hundreds of deaths annually in the U.S. Now, thanks to widespread immunization, those numbers have dropped dramatically. However, as vaccination rates fall, we risk reliving the past—one preventable death at a time.

What To Do if You're Exposed to Measles?

If you suspect you've been exposed to measles, especially if you or your child are unvaccinated:

• Isolate immediately and wear a mask to reduce the risk of transmission.
• Contact your healthcare provider to assess the need for post-exposure prophylaxis—either a dose of the MMR vaccine or immune globulin.
• Do not visit healthcare facilities without calling ahead to avoid exposing others.
• If you're fully vaccinated, remain vigilant for symptoms for at least 21 days post-exposure, and notify your doctor at the first sign of illness.

Vaccination isn't just a personal choice; it's a societal responsibility. The consequences of inaction are too devastating to ignore—not just for one family, but for entire communities. The heartbreaking video of the 4-year-old boy is more than a clinical case study—it’s a call to action.

Showering is not just for hygiene for many people; it is about self-care, downtime, and relaxing. From a health perspective, showers can have benefits and some downsides, like the cleanliness of the washroom, the products you are using, etc. Sometimes, a neglected shower soap or an expired shampoo bottle could be the reason you fall sick.

Another thing you must be careful about is the porcelain floors and slippery tiles as they can be a health hazard. In a recent post, a doctor pointed out another thing that could be a surprising factor of health concern in the showers: urinating.

Doctors have issued a warning for people who may be in the habit of urinating while standing in the shower. While it may seem like a harmless activity, may be a bit uncomfortable to talk about, it can have health consequences you may not have considered.

How Does Urinating In The Showers Put Your Health At Risk?

American urogynaecologist Dr. Teresa Irwin, a board certified in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS), took to the social media platform TikTok to advise people against this practice, which polls suggest is quite common, with 60-80% of the public reportedly admitting to it. In her video, Dr Irwin explained that peeing while showering can train the brain to associate the sound of running water with the urge to urinate.

Running Water Can Trigger Unwanted Urge

Speaking to her followers, Dr Irwin drew comparisons between this habit with the Pavlov's dog experiment, where the sound of a bell triggered salivation. She explained that over time, every time you hear running water – whether washing hands, showering, or doing dishes – your bladder might start to feel the urge to empty, even if it's not truly full.

Dr Irwin cautioned that this learned association could disrupt the body's natural internal control over the bladder in the long run. This disruption might lead to more frequent and unnecessary trips to the toilet as the bladder becomes overly sensitive to the sound of running water.

Dr Irwin also pointed out potential health hazards specifically for women who urinate while standing in the shower. She mentioned an increased risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and, in more severe scenarios, even kidney failure.

Why Shouldn’t Women Urinating Standing Up?

Unlike men, whose bladder is supported by the prostate when urinating while standing, women lack this anatomical support. Dr Irwin explained that women who try to urinate while standing put extra strain on their pelvic floor muscles, which can hinder the bladder from emptying completely.

Dr Alicia Jeffrey-Thomas, a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist who shares informative videos on social media explains that there can be more consequences for women urinating upright. She explains a pelvic floor therapist based in Boston, has previously supported the idea that women's bodies are "not designed to pee standing up." She explained that the pelvic floor muscles won't relax correctly in that position, making it difficult to fully empty the bladder.

While the primary concerns are related to bladder control and potential UTIs, there's also a minor risk of skin infection. If there are open wounds on the lower body, bacteria present in the urine could potentially cause an infection. However, experts suggest this risk is relatively low as the shower water should wash the urine away.