Wellcome 40d ago

Extreme heat is no longer a distant risk — it’s affecting our health in the UK today. During the UK’s record-breaking heatwave in July 2022, England cricketer Matthew Potts collapsed on the pitch after just four overs, experiencing severe heat stress that required hours of medical cooling. His experience highlights how rising temperatures can push the human body beyond safe limits — often faster than we realise. In this film, scientists and health experts explain why UK heatwaves can be especially dangerous, how heat affects heart rate, breathing and body temperature, and why climate change is increasing the risks — not just for elite athletes, but for millions of people who work, exercise or spend time outdoors. The video also explores the wider impacts of a warming climate on sport and communities, from flooding that damages local facilities to poor air quality that worsens respiratory conditions. With extreme heat, drought and flooding already affecting the UK, the evidence shows the need to adapt, to protect health in a changing climate. 🔔 Subscribe to Wellcome on YouTube: https://wellc.me/3Blh0c1 💬 SOCIAL MEDIA: Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/wellcome-trust/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellcometrust/ Follow us on X: https://x.com/WellcomeTrust Follow us on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wellcometrust.bsky.social/ Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wellcometrust 🔗 MORE FROM WELLCOME: Wellcome is a global charitable foundation. We want everyone to benefit from science’s potential to improve health and save lives. Read our latest stories, opinions and reports: https://wellcome.org/news-and-reports Learn more about our work: https://wellcome.org/what-we-do Find our latest funding opportunities: https://wellcome.org/grant-funding