It was a day that left the people of Delhi gasping. The thermometer read 43.5°C, but the city felt like a furnace.
Why the disparity? British researchers believe they have the answer. Led by the University of Reading, a team of scientists has been camped in the Indian capital, tracking a phenomenon known as 'urban heat island effect' on steroids.
Their findings: a cocktail of humidity, air pollution, and chaotic city planning is pushing the 'feels like' temperature up to 50°C or more. For the millions who toil in open markets and construction sites, this isn't an academic exercise. It is a matter of survival.
The research, funded by the UK's Natural Environment Research Council, could reshape how cities like Delhi, and even London, prepare for a hotter world. We speak to the workers bearing the heat, and the scientists who say we are underestimating the danger.
