Racial and Economic Disparities in High-Temperature Exposure in Brazil.

Summary: Imagine a sweltering summer day where the heat feels inescapable. A new study reveals that in Brazil, the burden of this extreme heat is not shared equally. Researchers combined temperature data with census records and found a stark "heat gap": Indigenous, Black, Brown, and low-income populations live in areas significantly hotter than their White and wealthier counterparts. Specifically, Indigenous groups face 47% higher heat exposure than White populations. This isn't just about geography; it highlights how climate change acts as a "inequality multiplier," hitting the most vulnerable communities the hardest. The findings suggest that without targeted public policies, these health risks will only deepen as the planet warms.