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.
A dog in a pool wearing goggles.

10 simple ways to keep your dogs safe and happy during a heatwave

Pro tips to keep your furry friend cool when it’s hot outside.
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A woman on a sofa fanning herself to keep cool.

Yes, even a mild UK heatwave feels much worse than in the US. Here's why

Paddling pool? Check. Ice cream? Check. Sweat patches? Check, check.
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A person pulling a hat over their face

The great cold head myth: Where you really lose your body heat from

We've all heard it before, but is this a myth or a truth to live by?
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The sun close up

Do we know what the cores of stars look like?

The centre of our nearest star is 10-20 million degrees, making it just a little too hot for us to visit.
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A steak resting on a wooden chopping board with seasoning on it

When's the best time to salt a steak?

One of the great questions of our time, answered.
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A tarantula approaching its burrow

Thousands of tarantulas will soon emerge across the US. Here’s what to expect

For certain regions of America, things are about to get weird with an influx of tarantulas.
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Scientifically proven tips on how to keep cool in the heat © Getty Images

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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London, UK, city skyline at sunset, showing the River Thames with Tower Bridge

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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A scientist's guide to life: How to stay warm © Cat Finnie

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 have inspired a new cooling technology © Getty Images

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 © Getty Images

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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Sunbathers relax on the beach and in the sea in Brighton © Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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? © Getty Images

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? © Getty Images

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 © Getty Images

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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Image © James Olstein/BBC Focus magazine

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? © Getty Images

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? © Getty Images

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? © Getty Images

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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