Mea Culpa –
July 23, 2018 – Rising temperatures linked to human-caused climate change could lead to increasing suicide rates in the U.S. and Mexico, a study released Monday suggests. By comparing historical temperature and suicide data going back decades, researchers found a strong correlation between warm weather and increased suicides, according to new research published in Nature Climate Change, a peer-reviewed British journal. Researchers have known for centuries that conflict and violence tend to peak during warmer months. “Now we see that in addition to hurting others, some individuals hurt themselves,” said Solomon Hsiang, study co-author from the University of California, Berkeley. “It appears that heat profoundly affects the human mind and how we decide to inflict harm.” The study found climate change could lead to 9,000 to 44,000 additional suicides across the U.S. and Mexico by 2050.
