Trouble in the Middle East? Blame the heat

July 3, 2007 - 12:52 PM by Nicky

Ah, now I understand where the underlying troubles in the Middle East stem from.

It’s not the Jewish-Arab problem, it’s the heat.

Apparently, according to a story in the UK’s Independent newspaper (www.independent.co.uk), too much heat increases the risk of bad behavior and rioting. A report from Manchester University shows that the temperatures of 27, 29, and 34 degrees have all been identified as ‘riot temperatures’.

Perhaps the historians, academics and political observers have got it all wrong. We should be examining the wars of the Middle East in terms of temperature, not politics. Definitely worth a multi-million dollar study if you ask me.

Don’t get too depressed, however (well, not unless it’s raining because then you can’t help it), the report also shows that blue skies make people more positive. No. Get out of here!

“When the skies were blue, general self-esteem and aspects of confidence are higher and people have a more daring and adventurous attitude towards the day ahead,” says Geoffrey Beattie, Head of Psychological Sciences at Manchester University.”

Still there’s a salient point here for students applying to university. If you’re going for an interview, make sure you check cloud cover first.

“According to research, academics who make admissions decisions are heavily influenced by the state of the weather on the day they consider applications. Researchers found that change in cloud cover can increase a candidate’s chances of admissions by 11.9 per cent. Academics were found to give more weight to academic achievements on cloudy days, and greater weight to social activities on sunny days, according to a report in the Journal of Behavioural Decision Making.”
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