BBC Learning English News

2025-08-27 Heatwaves speed up ageing process, study says – Learning English from the News

The story

A study in Taiwan has found that peoples’ biological age increases when they experience heatwaves. Researchers measured participants’ organ function in order to determine their biological age.

Experiencing four heatwave days over a two-year period led people’s biological age to increase by about nine days.

Manual workers, those living in rural areas or those who do not have access to air conditioning are worse affected by heatwaves. 

News headlines

Heatwaves are making people age faster, study suggests
The Guardian

Repeated heatwaves may accelerate ageing
Scimex

The demographics at risk of ageing due to heatwaves
The Independent

Key words and phrases

age
become or appear older 

  • After taking on such a stressful job, she aged considerably.

accelerate
get faster or more intense

  • As time went on, his illness accelerated.

demographic
a group of people who share a characteristic 

  • We hope our new product will allow us to appeal a new demographic.

BBC Learning English

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