5 Reasons Why Summer Is the Worst Season of the Year
I have a confession to make… I don’t like summer.
Sure, I can get down with the beach, ice cream, and other delights that are certainly more enjoyable when it’s warm and sunny out. But I remain steadfast in my opinion that it’s actually the worst season of the year—and it’s only getting more unbearable.
Before you come for me, let me just say that there’s real science to back me up. Here are 5 research-proven reasons why summer low-key sucks.
1. Bugs, obviously
If there’s one thing we can all probably agree on, it’s that mosquitoes and ticks are horrible. When the weather warms and these blood-sucking parasites emerge in droves, it’s more than just a nuisance—it’s a serious public health issue.
Rates of insect-borne diseases such as West Nile virus, Lyme disease, and dengue fever surge in the summer as higher temperatures and humidity accelerate the reproduction, metabolisms, and biting rates of ticks and mosquitoes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 476,000 people in the U.S. may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year, and most cases are reported in late spring and summer.
As climate change leads to longer, hotter, and (in some places) wetter summers, rates of insect-borne diseases are rising. West Nile virus only surfaced in the U.S. in 1999 but has since become the country’s most common mosquito-borne illness, affecting thousands of people each year. Cases of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and Powassan encephalitis have more than doubled throughout the U.S. over the past two decades.
2. Rampant extreme weather
Deadly heatwaves, severe thunderstorms, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires—all these weather extremes are more common in the summer. In fact, the U.S. tends to experience most billion-dollar disasters from April through August. The reasons are complex, but they largely stem from a warmer atmosphere that holds more energy and moisture, intensifying storm systems while also amplifying heat stress at the surface.
Summer heatwaves can be particularly dangerous, and they’re becoming more frequent and severe as global temperatures rise. The combination of extreme heat and humidity is one of the leading weather-related killers in the country, as it can exacerbate underlying illnesses and cause heatstroke. At the same time, warmer temperatures increase evaporation from the landscape, leading to drought and heightened wildfire risk. Smoke from wildfires also reduces air quality, wreaking havoc on public health.
At the same time, tropical cyclone activity ramps up during the summer—a result of warmer ocean waters, favorable wind shear patterns, and more atmospheric humidity and instability. These conditions also support severe thunderstorm development and contribute to tornado formation, particularly in the central United States.
3. Brutal utility bills
When that scorching summer heat sets in, utility costs skyrocket. That’s because households in most regions of the U.S. consume more electricity from July through August, when temperatures and cooling demand are at their peak. Nearly 90% of U.S. households cool their homes with air conditioning.
Thanks to climate change, it’s getting harder for air conditioning to beat the heat, and you’re paying the price. As global temperatures rise, people are running air conditioners more often and for longer periods of time. By 2050, the International Energy Agency expects to see a threefold increase in global air-conditioner-related energy demand, equivalent to adding 10 new units per second over the next three decades.
4. Killer UV radiation
Who doesn’t love slathering on greasy SPF every time they leave the house? Me, that’s who. I know we’re supposed to wear sunscreen all year round, but there’s no denying that the risk of UV exposure increases drastically in the summer—and some studies suggest it’s only getting worse.
Over the past five decades, incidence of malignant skin melanoma—the most aggressive skin cancer—has surged dramatically, with over 325,000 new cases reported worldwide in 2020. This increase has been linked to changes in UV radiation exposure driven by shifting atmospheric conditions, including cloud cover variability, aerosol concentrations, and surface reflectivity.
5. Increased violence
A growing body of evidence suggests that rates of violence and mass shootings increase during the summer, especially around the Fourth of July. According to PBS News, the Gun Violence Archive—a database that tracks mass shootings involving four or more people in the U.S.—shows that June, July, and August have had the highest total number of mass shootings over the past decade, while the lowest totals were from December through March.
On a global scale, rising temperatures have been linked to increases in homicides, assaults, sexual assaults, firearm violence, intimate partner violence, and violent suicides. This suggests that as summer heatwaves become more frequent and intense, incidents may occur more often.
There are several factors that could explain why the warmest months of the year have historically been the most violent. For one, people spend more time drinking and attending social events, which creates more opportunities for conflict, University of Miami criminologist Alex Piquero told PBS. Studies have also shown that heat can push people to a boiling point, resulting in heightened levels of stress and irritability.
#Reasons #Summer #Worst #Season #Yearextreme weather,Insects,public health,summer
I have a confession to make… I don’t like summer.
Sure, I can get down with the beach, ice cream, and other delights that are certainly more enjoyable when it’s warm and sunny out. But I remain steadfast in my opinion that it’s actually the worst season of the year—and it’s only getting more unbearable.
Before you come for me, let me just say that there’s real science to back me up. Here are 5 research-proven reasons why summer low-key sucks.
1. Bugs, obviously
If there’s one thing we can all probably agree on, it’s that mosquitoes and ticks are horrible. When the weather warms and these blood-sucking parasites emerge in droves, it’s more than just a nuisance—it’s a serious public health issue.
Rates of insect-borne diseases such as West Nile virus, Lyme disease, and dengue fever surge in the summer as higher temperatures and humidity accelerate the reproduction, metabolisms, and biting rates of ticks and mosquitoes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 476,000 people in the U.S. may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year, and most cases are reported in late spring and summer.
As climate change leads to longer, hotter, and (in some places) wetter summers, rates of insect-borne diseases are rising. West Nile virus only surfaced in the U.S. in 1999 but has since become the country’s most common mosquito-borne illness, affecting thousands of people each year. Cases of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and Powassan encephalitis have more than doubled throughout the U.S. over the past two decades.
2. Rampant extreme weather
Deadly heatwaves, severe thunderstorms, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires—all these weather extremes are more common in the summer. In fact, the U.S. tends to experience most billion-dollar disasters from April through August. The reasons are complex, but they largely stem from a warmer atmosphere that holds more energy and moisture, intensifying storm systems while also amplifying heat stress at the surface.
Summer heatwaves can be particularly dangerous, and they’re becoming more frequent and severe as global temperatures rise. The combination of extreme heat and humidity is one of the leading weather-related killers in the country, as it can exacerbate underlying illnesses and cause heatstroke. At the same time, warmer temperatures increase evaporation from the landscape, leading to drought and heightened wildfire risk. Smoke from wildfires also reduces air quality, wreaking havoc on public health.
At the same time, tropical cyclone activity ramps up during the summer—a result of warmer ocean waters, favorable wind shear patterns, and more atmospheric humidity and instability. These conditions also support severe thunderstorm development and contribute to tornado formation, particularly in the central United States.
3. Brutal utility bills
When that scorching summer heat sets in, utility costs skyrocket. That’s because households in most regions of the U.S. consume more electricity from July through August, when temperatures and cooling demand are at their peak. Nearly 90% of U.S. households cool their homes with air conditioning.
Thanks to climate change, it’s getting harder for air conditioning to beat the heat, and you’re paying the price. As global temperatures rise, people are running air conditioners more often and for longer periods of time. By 2050, the International Energy Agency expects to see a threefold increase in global air-conditioner-related energy demand, equivalent to adding 10 new units per second over the next three decades.
4. Killer UV radiation
Who doesn’t love slathering on greasy SPF every time they leave the house? Me, that’s who. I know we’re supposed to wear sunscreen all year round, but there’s no denying that the risk of UV exposure increases drastically in the summer—and some studies suggest it’s only getting worse.
Over the past five decades, incidence of malignant skin melanoma—the most aggressive skin cancer—has surged dramatically, with over 325,000 new cases reported worldwide in 2020. This increase has been linked to changes in UV radiation exposure driven by shifting atmospheric conditions, including cloud cover variability, aerosol concentrations, and surface reflectivity.
5. Increased violence
A growing body of evidence suggests that rates of violence and mass shootings increase during the summer, especially around the Fourth of July. According to PBS News, the Gun Violence Archive—a database that tracks mass shootings involving four or more people in the U.S.—shows that June, July, and August have had the highest total number of mass shootings over the past decade, while the lowest totals were from December through March.
On a global scale, rising temperatures have been linked to increases in homicides, assaults, sexual assaults, firearm violence, intimate partner violence, and violent suicides. This suggests that as summer heatwaves become more frequent and intense, incidents may occur more often.
There are several factors that could explain why the warmest months of the year have historically been the most violent. For one, people spend more time drinking and attending social events, which creates more opportunities for conflict, University of Miami criminologist Alex Piquero told PBS. Studies have also shown that heat can push people to a boiling point, resulting in heightened levels of stress and irritability.
![These Are the 12 Ikea Products the Company’s Design Chief Personally OwnsThe Svarva lamp can be twisted into different shapes.
Courtesy of Johan EjdemoPS Svarva Floor Lamp“Some stuff I did myself, like this one. The Svarva lamp we made with the design group Front for the PS 2009 collection. They were quite newly established and so we did an armchair and this lamp. The desire was to do a wooden turned lamp, but you should also be able to twist it, articulate it.”“I felt that that would be very difficult to do. Along with a colleague in lighting at the time, I went to Hungary to this factory that was producing lamps for us. It was all metal tubes that they were doing, so we were a little bit hesitant whether they should be able to solve this. But they made some mock-ups based on the designer drawings. So we went there to have a look, and it was standing there. It was this floor lamp, and also a table lamp where the wooden beads were going in a circle and then up, like a snake.”“What we didn’t know was that next to the lamp factory was this factory that was doing the turned wooden beads, the small individual pieces that we put together. None of us knew that. It was just pure serendipity. So they were turning these wooden beads, and the lamp factory was putting them on the metal tubes, just like on a necklace. They had very little to do, so they were happy to get the business.”A Sinka Cabinet resides in Ejdemo’s hallway.
Courtesy of Johan EjdemoPS Sinka Cabinet“I have another favorite from that PS 2009 collection, it’s in my hallway. The PS Sinka, with the small drawers with a wooden base. Sinka means “dovetail” in Swedish, so the name explaining that construction.”“But the problem we had with this one was the packaging volume was too big. So what we did was each drawer is slightly shallower. So four drawers stack into each other. And four more drawers stack. There’s a little bit of a stopper in the back when you push them in, so they stop evenly at the front. There’s also a hidden compartment behind the smallest drawer. Really good drawers for all this stuff that is just lying around and getting in the way. In the top one I have all my keys that I no longer know where they go.”PS Jonsberg Vases“I have this vase from the PS collection to hold the cables [on my Samsung Serif TV]. It was a set, the Jonsberg vases by Hella Jongerius. There were four of them in different ceramic techniques. I had all four, but the terracotta one broke, which was a pity.” [It certainly is. These vases now sell secondhand for ,700 for a full set.]“They’re inspired by different regions, and the different techniques are beautiful. I use the big black one for toilet paper in one bathroom. It’s not disrespect for the design. It’s just such a good design to stand there, and it makes the bathroom beautiful, and it can fit the toilet roll. So, why have something like an ugly stick? It’s nice for that.”Pax Wardrobes“Pax. We have to mention Pax. I have Pax wardrobes in a few rooms, but also I’m a little bit peculiar. Like in the kitchen, these veneer doors have been sanded and hand-painted by me, just to make them fit my house, in my space. I repaint them sometimes.”Chipped Spraka pepper mills.
Courtesy of Johan EjdemoSpraka Pepper Mills“I have these pepper mills. One for white pepper, one for black pepper. That was also in a PS collection. We did these with Marcus Arvonen. These pepper mills are beautiful, and these have been around for, like, 20 years as well. They are pretty tall. A smaller version came later on, but I like these.”“They have their chips, yes, but this just makes them nicer. It’s age. They’ve been around and are used every day. Everything has a little bit of imperfection. You can spend your whole life bothering about that, but there should be some imperfection in life. Fix it? Then something else needs fixing. It just moves. Leave it, be proud.”Where’s the Billy Bookcase or Kallax?“I don’t have a Billy in the house now. But there have been! Kallax? I have owned many. Brilliant piece. Really good for vinyl, because that’s the time they come from. I listen to a lot of vinyl.”#Ikea #Products #Companys #Design #Chief #Personally #Ownsikea,design,home,furniture,household,interviews](https://i2.wp.com/media.wired.com/photos/6a33ff12acc128b064d51d9c/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/IKEA%2520PS%2520SVARVA%25202.jpg?ssl=1 "These Are the 12 Ikea Products the Company’s Design Chief Personally OwnsThe Svarva lamp can be twisted into different shapes.
Courtesy of Johan EjdemoPS Svarva Floor Lamp“Some stuff I did myself, like this one. The Svarva lamp we made with the design group Front for the PS 2009 collection. They were quite newly established and so we did an armchair and this lamp. The desire was to do a wooden turned lamp, but you should also be able to twist it, articulate it.”“I felt that that would be very difficult to do. Along with a colleague in lighting at the time, I went to Hungary to this factory that was producing lamps for us. It was all metal tubes that they were doing, so we were a little bit hesitant whether they should be able to solve this. But they made some mock-ups based on the designer drawings. So we went there to have a look, and it was standing there. It was this floor lamp, and also a table lamp where the wooden beads were going in a circle and then up, like a snake.”“What we didn’t know was that next to the lamp factory was this factory that was doing the turned wooden beads, the small individual pieces that we put together. None of us knew that. It was just pure serendipity. So they were turning these wooden beads, and the lamp factory was putting them on the metal tubes, just like on a necklace. They had very little to do, so they were happy to get the business.”A Sinka Cabinet resides in Ejdemo’s hallway.
Courtesy of Johan EjdemoPS Sinka Cabinet“I have another favorite from that PS 2009 collection, it’s in my hallway. The PS Sinka, with the small drawers with a wooden base. Sinka means “dovetail” in Swedish, so the name explaining that construction.”“But the problem we had with this one was the packaging volume was too big. So what we did was each drawer is slightly shallower. So four drawers stack into each other. And four more drawers stack. There’s a little bit of a stopper in the back when you push them in, so they stop evenly at the front. There’s also a hidden compartment behind the smallest drawer. Really good drawers for all this stuff that is just lying around and getting in the way. In the top one I have all my keys that I no longer know where they go.”PS Jonsberg Vases“I have this vase from the PS collection to hold the cables [on my Samsung Serif TV]. It was a set, the Jonsberg vases by Hella Jongerius. There were four of them in different ceramic techniques. I had all four, but the terracotta one broke, which was a pity.” [It certainly is. These vases now sell secondhand for ,700 for a full set.]“They’re inspired by different regions, and the different techniques are beautiful. I use the big black one for toilet paper in one bathroom. It’s not disrespect for the design. It’s just such a good design to stand there, and it makes the bathroom beautiful, and it can fit the toilet roll. So, why have something like an ugly stick? It’s nice for that.”Pax Wardrobes“Pax. We have to mention Pax. I have Pax wardrobes in a few rooms, but also I’m a little bit peculiar. Like in the kitchen, these veneer doors have been sanded and hand-painted by me, just to make them fit my house, in my space. I repaint them sometimes.”Chipped Spraka pepper mills.
Courtesy of Johan EjdemoSpraka Pepper Mills“I have these pepper mills. One for white pepper, one for black pepper. That was also in a PS collection. We did these with Marcus Arvonen. These pepper mills are beautiful, and these have been around for, like, 20 years as well. They are pretty tall. A smaller version came later on, but I like these.”“They have their chips, yes, but this just makes them nicer. It’s age. They’ve been around and are used every day. Everything has a little bit of imperfection. You can spend your whole life bothering about that, but there should be some imperfection in life. Fix it? Then something else needs fixing. It just moves. Leave it, be proud.”Where’s the Billy Bookcase or Kallax?“I don’t have a Billy in the house now. But there have been! Kallax? I have owned many. Brilliant piece. Really good for vinyl, because that’s the time they come from. I listen to a lot of vinyl.”#Ikea #Products #Companys #Design #Chief #Personally #Ownsikea,design,home,furniture,household,interviews")
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