Hot weather might correspond with a higher likelihood of conflict, including personal violence, war and even breakdowns in civilization. Research has found that when temperatures increased by 5° Fahrenheit (about 3° Celsius) over the course of a month, interpersonal violence, such as homicide, increased by 4%, and intergroup violence, such as war, increased by 14%. It is not known why this link between weather and conflict occurs, but researchers believe that heat makes people more hostile. Another possible reason is an increase in migration during hot temperatures, which can lead to more intergroup violence.
More about weather:
- Humidity has been found to be the weather component that most affects mood, and high humidity typically contributes to fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
- Scientists predict that the overall global temperature will increase by almost 4° Fahrenheit (2° Celsius) by 2050, which might also lead to an increase in conflict.
- Bad weather might make people more productive. One study found that men worked 30 minutes longer on rainy days than on clear days.
