Hotter weather leads to lower exam results, according to a new study Harvard University, the University California and Georgia State University. What's more, hot weather may reduce learning both the short term and long term. Researchers reported that hot weather test days and higher than average temperatures the school year resulted poorer grades. The study is the first major research the effect of heat students in the USA. Researchers analyzed how test scores 10 million American students were impacted by the weather. Their findings showed that an average temperature increase of just 0.55ºC over one year resulted a one per cent decrease in learning.
The research is a paper called "Heat and Learning" and was published last month the USA's National Bureau of Economic Research. One of the more concerning conclusions contained the study is that global warming may affect leaning and the income-earning potential students around the world. The researchers predicted that if global temperatures continued to rise, the average American student could lose $25,000 income their lifetime because of lower exam results. Using air conditioning in classrooms could circumvent this. The researchers also found that hotter weather was, "particularly damaging... low income and minority students" the USA.
