{"id":42920,"date":"2025-04-15T11:29:27","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T11:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/idea.membrane.com\/songwriter\/?p=42920"},"modified":"2025-04-15T11:30:29","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T11:30:29","slug":"human-survivability-threshold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kingarthur.com\/songwriter\/2025\/04\/15\/human-survivability-threshold\/","title":{"rendered":"Human Survivability Threshold"},"content":{"rendered":"

Human-Survivability-Threshold-0.mp3<\/a>
\nHuman-Survivability-Threshold-0.mp4<\/a>
\nHuman-Survivability-Threshold-I.mp3<\/a>
\nHuman-Survivability-Threshold-I.mp4<\/a>
\nHuman-Survivability-Threshold-intro.mp3<\/a><\/p>\n

[Intro]
\nHuman stupidity’s getting old
\n(We are reaching the limit)
\nHuman survivability threshold
\n(When are we going to get it?)<\/p>\n

[Verse 1]
\nThe taxes in Texas
\nRising with the tide
\nShould know what the mess is….
\nThere’s nowhere to hide<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nHuman stupidity’s getting old
\nWe are (reaching the limit)
\nHuman survivability threshold
\nWhen are we (going to get it?)<\/p>\n

[Bridge]
\nDeviations above the norms
\n(Bringing on extreme storms)
\nGot ourselves in a mess
\n(Due to fatal heat stress)<\/p>\n

[Verse 2]
\nNew Orleans and Baton Rouge
\nGetting hot at night
\nMarti Gras stooge
\nA bit late for fright<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nHuman stupidity’s getting old
\nWe are (reaching the limit)
\nHuman survivability threshold
\nWhen are we (going to get it?)<\/p>\n

[Bridge]
\nDeviations above the norms
\n(Bringing on extreme storms)
\nGot ourselves in a mess
\n(Due to fatal heat stress)<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nHuman stupidity’s getting old
\nWe are (reaching the limit)
\nHuman survivability threshold
\nWhen are we (going to get it?)<\/p>\n

[Outro]
\nDeviations above the norms
\n(Brings on… the foreboding storms)<\/p>\n

A SCIENCE NOTE: WET-BULB TEMPERATURES<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wet-bulb temperatures above 31\u00b0C (87.8\u00b0F)<\/strong> are extremely dangerous \u2014 at these levels, the human body cannot cool itself through sweating<\/strong>, even in the shade, leading to potentially fatal heat stress<\/strong> within hours. While these thresholds have historically been rare outside the tropics, parts of the U.S. are have breached this limit<\/strong> \u2014 something that used to be considered virtually impossible in the U.S. climate.<\/p>\n

Here are the U.S. regions most at risk<\/strong> and already showing wet-bulb temperatures exceeding 31\u00b0C<\/strong> or very close \u2014 often 2\u20133 standard deviations above historical norms<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u00a01. South Texas & Gulf Coast (Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Houston)<\/strong><\/h3>\n