Heat

Heat

Heat is energy that can be transferred between substances, until their temperatures become equal. Heat can be transferred through conduction (molecules in solids physically interact), convection (molecules in liquids and gases physically interact) and radiation (photons - light particles - carrying the energy are absorbed). Differences in the amount of solar radiation that reaches different regions of the Earth leads to local variations in temperature.

Scientifically proven tips on how to keep cool in the heat

Planning on going out in the Sun this weekend? Read our top three scientific tips on keeping cool...
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UK heatwave: Are these searing temperatures the future of summers in the UK?

Climate change will make extreme weather events and dangerously high temperatures in the UK more common, with some saying London will feel as hot as Barcelona by 2050.
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How to stay warm in cold weather

As the temperature drops, and our thoughts turn to thermal vests, we ask physiologist Dr JohnEric Smith how to stay warm.
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Desert camels inspire a new cooling technology

A team of scientists have come up with a two-layer cooling technology that works 5 times better than conventional materials and doesn’t need electricity.
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Birds cool their beaks when food is scarce to save energy

Scientists used thermal imaging technology to measure the body surface temperature of great tits.
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What's going on with the weather? – Dann Mitchell

This summer has been one of the hottest on record, so we asked climate change researcher Dann Mitchell what has caused the summer heatwave, can we expect more, and is there anything we can do about it?
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Are there any materials that don't expand when heated?

Nature has a habit of breaking its own rules…
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Does stirring a cup of tea make it cool quicker?

Attention all tea drinkers! Save your energy and let that cuppa cool on its own.
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Snowball Earth evidence points to volcanoes

Was ‘snowball Earth’ caused by a perfect storm of fire and ice?
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Bristol Science Film Festival 2017 BBC Focus prize shortlist

Watch the shortlist for the BBC Focus prize at the British Science Association’s Bristol & Bath branch Science Film Festival 2017.
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28 myths of modern life exposed

Do mice really love cheese? Does sugar make kids hyperactive? Do you actually need your five-a-day? We put common beliefs under the microscope to sort the fact from the fantasy
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What happens at absolute zero?

Brrrr, absolute zero is considered the lowest temperature possible.
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Why does cold weather make joints sore?

Bad weather can literally chill you down to the bone.
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Why are ceramics cold to touch and plastics warm?

Too hot to touch, too cold to scald.
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How are we able to drink scalding drinks, like tea?

We Brits have mastered the art of sipping down a hot cup of tea.
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NanoPE: the material of the future keeping you cool

New material lets out 96 per cent of infra-red heat, keeping you 3.5°C cooler than cotton – all without leaving you, errr, exposed.
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Why does sunshine make me tired?

Lazing on a sunny afternoon never sounded like so much effort.
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Is there air conditioning on the ISS?

The International Space Station is exposed to temperatures of -157°C to 121°C - let's hope someone brought a coat...
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