Title: Cold and heat adaptations in humans - Wikipedia
Headings: Cold and heat adaptations in humans
Cold and heat adaptations in humans
Contents
Origin of cold and heat adaptations
Ecogeographic rules
Physiological adaptations
Cold
Heat
Acclimatization
Cold
Heat
Culture
Cold
Heat
Genetic adaptations
References

Content: The evaporation of the sweat helps cool the blood beneath the skin. It is limited by the amount of water available in the body, which can cause dehydration. Humans adapted to heat early on. In Africa, the climate selected for traits that helped us stay cool. Also, humans had physiological mechanisms that reduced the rate of metabolism and that modified the sensitivity of sweat glands to provide an adequate amount for cooldown without the individual becoming dehydrated. There are two types of heat the body is adapted to, humid heat and dry heat, but the body has adapted to both in the same way. Humid heat is characterized by warmer temperatures with a high amount of water vapor in the air. Humid heat is dangerous as the moisture in the air prevents the evaporation of sweat. Dry heat is characterized by warmer temperatures with little to no water vapor in the air, such as desert conditions. Dry heat is also very dangerous as sweat will tend to evaporate extremely quickly, causing dehydration.