Tag Archives: Life

Most People Forget To Wash Their Hands After Touching These 3 Things – And It’s A Problem

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Every day, we use our hands to pick up packages, hug friends, make calls – and touch disease-carrying germs.

“Most gastrointestinal and respiratory infections spread when contaminated hands touch your eyes, nose or mouth,” said Dr. Supriya Rao, a gastroenterologist.

Spraying our hands immediately with hand sanitiser can make all the difference in whether you get a cold the following week.

But first, you need to know which surfaces carry the most germs. The grossest surfaces are never quite what we think. Here are the three biggest culprits most people overlook, according to germ experts:

1. Pin pads

The germiest surface is one you tap every day to check out at the grocery store or coffee shop.

Ekaterina Demidova / Getty Images

The germiest surface is one you tap every day to check out at the grocery store or coffee shop.

Every time you check out a purchase at the supermarket or coffee shop, you are likely tapping a pin pad on a payment terminal to check out what you bought. But this surface has been touched dozens of times by other grimy hands.

Out of all the many items we touch on an everyday basis, microbiologist Jason Tetro, aka “The Germ Guy,” said, pin pads are the most unsuspecting germ carrier.

“In order for you to get the pin number inputted, you have to put pressure, and the pressure is enough to really leave behind a large amount of microbes from your hand,” Tetro said.

“And then there’s such a high turnover that anybody who may not have washed their hands or washed their hands properly” is going to leave germs on that pin pad, he said.

Tetro cited flu and COVID viruses, in addition to salmonella, if someone touched raw meats beforehand, as the big risks of what you can get from a pin pad.

Because a pin pad requires focused pressure, it is a surface “where you’re going to have the greatest threat for transmitting any kind of pathogen,” Tetro said.

2. Trolley handles

Beyond pin pads, consider the unsuspecting surface of a trolley handle. Both Tetro and Rao said the handles in a grocery cart were common culprits for carrying germs.

“It is the one thing that people will overlook more than anything else, because they don’t think about it, because they’re too focused on purchasing” food, Tetro said.

Since the handle is an easy way to transfer viruses, “people will probably end up having a sore throat, or maybe a cold” from touching a germ-filled grocery-cart handle without sanitising their hands after use, Tetro said.

3. Phones

Disinfect your hands if you have been tapping on your phone a lot.

MengWen Guo / Getty Images

Disinfect your hands if you have been tapping on your phone a lot.

For many of us, our phone is attached to us at all times, and picking up germs wherever we go.

“You take it everywhere with you – the grocery store, the bathroom, the airplane, the gym. It’s always with you. And how often do you actually clean it?” Rao said. For Rao, a phone was the dirtiest surface people touch that should make them wash their hands.

Make a point to regularly clean your hands before using your phone. “Ideally people should have clean hands before using their phone and should try and sanitize their phone several times a week,” Rao said.

Until you get a chance to wash your hands, you can also simply use hand sanitiser – if you do it properly. “It usually kills enough, so that you don’t have a chance of getting exposure or sick from what happens to be on your hands,” Tetro said. But he noted that many people don’t use hand sanitiser right, so here’s a quick refresher.

Hand sanitisers often use ethanol to kill germs. And to get the most out of these germ-killers, you should keep your hands damp for 15 seconds after spraying. “A lot of people will just put it on and rub as hard as they can, and will be done in three or four seconds,” Tetro said. But let the hand sanitiser sit on your hands for 15 seconds before letting your hands dry.

Sanitising your hands after touching these three everyday surfaces is a small intervention that can make a big difference in whether you get sick this year.

Every time people report not knowing where they got a cold from, Tetro said he will ask, “Did you use a pin pad? Did you touch your face after you touched the pin pad?” If you did, then you know what to blame.

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Doctors Say ‘Embarrassing’ Symptom Could Be A Warning Sign Of Colorectal Cancer

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The statistics for colon cancer and rectal cancer – often combined and referred to as colorectal cancer – are both scary and important to know.

For example, colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the U.S. and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Additionally, colorectal cancer rates in young people are rising, nearly doubling since 1995.

We also need to be especially conscientious because many signs of colorectal cancer – such as constipation, diarrhea and fatigue – are easily dismissed. You might assume they’re just another case of irritable bowel syndrome, a food sensitivity or an undercooked meal.

All of this emphasises the importance of knowing what symptoms can indicate colorectal cancer and identifying them ASAP. As a colorectal cancer doctor will tell you, prevention and early intervention are key. That can entail learning your family history, getting regular screenings and paying attention to symptoms.

On that note, there’s a certain symptom doctors want to make sure you’re aware of: bowel incontinence.

While it might feel embarrassing to talk about, we need to. Ahead, doctors explain the concerning sign, other common signs of colorectal cancer, and what prevention and treatment look like. After all, the more information you have, the better prepared you are.

Bowel incontinence as a sign of colorectal cancer

For what it’s worth, this sign isn’t super common – and that can be a good thing and a bad thing.

“Bowel leakage, also called faecal incontinence, is not something most patients with colorectal cancer experience, but it can occur, particularly with cancers involving the rectum,” said Dr. Jason B. Carter, a urologist and medical adviser with Aeroflow Urology who’s board-certified by the American Board of Urology.

That’s a good reminder that even though a symptom isn’t common or necessarily listed on a website, it’s still an indication that seeing a doctor is crucial.

There are several reasons colorectal cancer causes bowel leakage, according to Dr. Ketan Thanki, a board-certified colorectal surgeon who specialises in benign and malignant disease of the colon, rectum and anus with the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in California:

  • Rectal cancer can decrease the rectum’s ability to sense and accommodate stool when it arrives.
  • Rectal cancer can invade and weaken or disrupt nerve signals to the anal sphincter, decreasing your ability to hold in the stool.
  • Colon and rectal cancers can secrete large amounts of mucus, which produces diarrhea, which is harder to hold in than solid stool.
  • Colon and rectal cancer can cause a narrowing of the colon/rectum, in which solid stool can’t pass, and pressurised liquid stool is squeezed through and can cause unexpected leakage.

It’s worth noting that this typically isn’t the first sign you’ll experience.

“Most patients diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer present with other symptoms first, such as rectal bleeding, blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, iron deficiency anaemia or persistent fatigue,” Carter said.

So, this symptom can indicate a more advanced cancer.

“Unfortunately, faecal incontinence often presents later in the course of a colorectal cancer because obstruction usually develops once a cancerous lesion becomes large enough to physically block passage of formed stool,” said Dr. Nikiya Asamoah, a gastroenterologist and inflammatory bowel disease specialist in Washington, D.C.

At the same time, this symptom isn’t a 100% clear sign that you have cancer, by any means.

“The important thing for patients to understand is that bowel leakage is much more commonly caused by non-cancerous conditions,” Carter said. He listed ageing, pelvic floor dysfunction, chronic diarrhoea, prior anorectal surgery, childbirth-related injury, neurologic disorders, haemorrhoids, rectal prolapse and inflammatory bowel disease as frequent contributors.

Don't dismiss signs of colorectal cancer, including bowel incontinence.

Antonio Hugo Photo via Getty Images

Don’t dismiss signs of colorectal cancer, including bowel incontinence.

Other signs of colorectal cancer

As mentioned above, other symptoms of colorectal cancer (that usually show up earlier) can include:

  • Rectal bleeding
  • Blood mixed in the stool
  • Persistent changes in bowel habits
  • New constipation
  • Diarrhoea
  • Narrowing of stool calibre
  • Abdominal pain
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Unexplained iron-deficiency anaemia
  • Excessive fatigue
  • A feeling of incomplete bowel emptying after a bowel movement
  • Pencil-thin stools or a sudden change in stool size

You can also have colorectal cancer without those signs.

“Many patients are surprised to learn that colorectal cancer can be present for quite some time before symptoms become obvious,” Carter added. “That is one reason screening is so important.”

Thanki agreed. “Right-sided colorectal cancer (furthest from the anus) frequently causes no bowel changes at all, showing up only as fatigue or weight loss, which is exactly why screening starting at 45 matters even when you feel fine,” he said.

How to prevent or treat colorectal cancer

“The American Cancer Society has identified several preventable lifestyle habits that might increase an individual’s risk of colorectal cancer, including alcohol and tobacco use,” Asamoah said.

“In general, gastroenterologists recommend that people avoid processed foods, limit excessive intake of red meat, increase their intake of dietary fibre and remain physically active to prevent colorectal cancer.”

If you’re at a higher risk or have a family history, regular colorectal cancer screenings with a colonoscopy are an important prevention strategy, she added.

Thanki agreed, saying that eating nutritious foods, moving your body and getting early, regular screenings are best.

Here’s more good news: “We have never had as many good treatments for colorectal cancer available to us as we do now,” Thanki said. “Colorectal cancer that is caught early is usually surgically treatable.”

If the cancer is advanced or spreads, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and/or targeted immunotherapies are needed in addition to surgery.

“Usually, some combination of these modalities is tailored to fit the individual patient and cancer,” he added.

When to see a doctor

Since seemingly “normal” symptoms can be signs of cancer – and since early detection is so helpful – seeing a doctor sooner rather than later is paramount.

Thanki and Asamoah recommended making an appointment when you experience an onset of any of those symptoms mentioned above.

“If anything feels off about your GI tract and digestion and doesn’t get better within a few weeks, go see a doctor,” Thanki said. “The last thing you want to do is ignore a change in your bowel habits for months or years and then realize it is from an advanced cancer that could have been curable when you first noticed symptoms.”

Even if it’s not cancer, he continued, it could be several other treatable conditions that could also have negative long-term effects if left untreated.

“The biggest message I would share is that colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers we face today,” Carter said. “Early detection dramatically improves outcomes.”

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I’ve Filed For ‘Airport Divorce’ On My Next Holiday – You Should Too

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You’ve probably heard about “Scandinavian divorce” – which happens when couples sleep apart for better kip and more space.

Some swear by it during heatwaves like the one we’re facing now.

But a new term – airport divorce – has been taking over.

So what does that look like, and how can it help your relationship?

What is an “airport divorce”?

It means you and your partner go through the sometimes-stressful processes of security, check-in, and even arriving at the airport separately.

A colleague told me that their partner likes to reach the travel hub far, far earlier than she likes. My own beau can get a little flustered in airports, while I would rather crawl across the ocean floor myself than publicly stress out.

Some people love a leisurely duty-free browse. Others like to march through security with laser focus, their passports and boarding passes constantly ready for inspection.

An early-queuer and late-queuer relationship can feel impossible to manage in times like these, too.

So, some, like Times writer Huw Oliver, have found a solution: just do your own thing, and regroup on the plane.

Won’t that feel a bit… splintering?

Not necessarily. An “airport divorce” can be selective.

Maybe you agree on some things, like arriving about two hours before the flight and/or having a pre-plane tipple. These can, and I’d argue should, still be shared.

But I reckon most of us can agree that our airport self is not representative of our true character. Nobody needs to see the beast I become when the boarding gate changes last minute, least of all someone I’m about to share a hotel room with.

Besides, if you’re mostly enduring your partner’s dangerously leisurely shopping time or over-keen boarding queue approach out of a vague sense of duty, why not let that go (travel duty-free, if you will?).

It might make your holiday together even more relaxing and enjoyable – and it means that finally, you’ll both be able to do it The Only Right Way.

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When My Husband Died, I Thought My Life Was Winding Down. I Couldn’t Have Been More Wrong.

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Three years ago, I stood beside my husband Al’s bed and prepared to say goodbye.

After 25 years of marriage, cancer was taking him where I could not follow. Before he died, he looked at me and said something that shocked me at the time.

“Diane, you’ll need another man.”

I immediately dismissed the idea. I was 80 years old. I had already experienced a full life. What on earth would I need another man for? I certainly wasn’t looking for one.

Then life did what life often does. It ignored my plans.

Just a few months after Al died, friends introduced me to a man named Bob. I welcomed it because I was experiencing what I later discovered, after many late-night Google searches, was called “widow’s fire,” a fierce longing for intimacy and closeness after losing a spouse that, despite being surprisingly common, few people talk about.

Some people, including some of my children, thought it was too soon for me to begin dating. But grief doesn’t follow a timeline.

I wasn’t looking to replace Al. No one could. But for 25 years of marriage, I had been part of a pair. Suddenly, I was standing alone. The silence and loneliness were overwhelming.

What I realised was that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life alone. I wanted companionship, laughter, conversation and, yes, physical attraction. And to my surprise, I found that in Bob, a kind, funny and handsome man who understood that loving him didn’t mean I loved Al any less.

Bob and I have been together for more than two years. We are deeply committed to one another, but marriage isn’t part of our equation. At our age, we’ve learned that relationships don’t need to look a certain way to be meaningful. What works for us is love, honesty and a healthy dose of practicality.

That practicality was put to the test recently when Bob and I embarked on a 22-day adventure through Norway, France and Spain. With me at 82 and Bob at 83, travelling halfway around the world requires a little more planning than it did a few decades ago.

Before we left, I sent an email introducing my daughter and son-in-law to Bob’s brother and sister. Not because we were planning a family reunion. Because we were 82 and 83 years old and about to cross an ocean together.

“Should we get lost along the way and need your assistance,” I wrote, “you now can connect with one another and try to retrieve, grieve or rejoice from our far distant travels.”

I also informed everyone that I had travel insurance in case my body needed to be shipped home and that Bob had thoughtfully prepared his own end-of-life arrangements. My children thought it was hilarious. Bob’s family may have thought I was crazy. They’re not entirely wrong.

But if you’re going to travel the world in your 80s, you learn to laugh about the realities that come with it. Like money. People don’t like talking about finances in matters of romance, but they should.

In our case, I happen to have a larger wallet than Bob. Before we left, we talked openly about expectations. I agreed to pay for the trip itself, including the airline tickets. Bob was perfectly willing to fly economy. I was perfectly unwilling to sit in first class without him. The good Lord knows I’m spoiled, and I wasn’t going to be up front sipping champagne while the man I loved was squeezed into seat 34B. Besides, I like him next to me.

We agreed that he would cover many of the extras along the way, including meals, excursions and spontaneous treats. There were no complicated contracts. Just two adults having an honest conversation.

Widowhood taught me many things. Like I wish more people understood that discussing money isn’t unromantic. Avoiding it is.

The author and Bob ending a long day at the hotel bar with their favorite drink, Old Fashioneds.

Photo Courtesy Of Diane Heiler

The author and Bob ending a long day at the hotel bar with their favorite drink, Old Fashioneds.

The trip itself became a lesson in something even bigger. Standing in Norway, surrounded by glaciers that looked as though they belonged on another planet, I found myself thinking about Al. He loved to travel.

The glacier train rides were breathtaking. The scenery was so beautiful it almost didn’t seem real. It was colder than a witch’s teat but magnificent. Al and I had never made it to Norway together, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much he would have loved it.

Unexpectedly, I didn’t feel guilty. For a long time, widows are made to feel that happiness somehow betrays grief. It doesn’t. Missing Al and loving Bob can occupy the same space. Both things are true.

Bob understood that. He never tried to compete with my memories. He simply stood beside me while I carried them. That’s one of the many reasons I love him.

Norway also introduced me to two things I never expected: iced cider and brown cheese.

The cider was delicious.

The cheese was downright addictive.

I liked it so much that I packed half a pound of it in my suitcase and hauled it through France, Spain and all the way back home to Florida.

At 82 years old, apparently, I travel internationally with contraband cheese.

The author and Bob sailing on a catamaran through Sognefjord, Norway's largest and one of its most breathtaking fjords.

Photo Courtesy Of Diane Heiler

The author and Bob sailing on a catamaran through Sognefjord, Norway’s largest and one of its most breathtaking fjords.

Then there was Bergen.

The minute we arrived, I announced to Bob, “I could live here.”

It had everything I love: beauty, charm, walkability and friendly people. We spent our days wandering old streets, taking in spectacular views and pretending, just for a moment, that we belonged there.

Next came France.

Of all the places we visited, Normandy affected me the most.

Standing among the endless rows of white crosses at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach, I felt humbled in a way that is difficult to describe.

The older I get, the more familiar loss becomes. Friends die. My spouse died. Parents die. Even pieces of ourselves disappear. The woman I was at 40 no longer exists. Neither does the woman I was before widowhood.

Yet there I was, halfway around the world, still creating memories. Still laughing. Still planning. Still living.

Spain brought its own lessons.

I use wheelchair assistance because of a painful foot. Bob uses a cane. Airport assistance services managed to leave us at the wrong gate on two separate occasions, causing us to miss our flights.

After missing our second flight, I told Bob I could have learned to become a professional tango dancer in less time than it took airport personnel to move my behind through that airport. For two days we were shuffled from gate to gate while trying not to lose our sense of humour. Thankfully, we succeeded.

By the time we reached Mallorca after nearly three weeks abroad, we realised something. We may have been tourists, but we didn’t particularly want to be around tourists anymore.

Maybe we were tired. Maybe we missed our own beds. Or maybe we had officially become old people. Either way, home was sounding awfully good.

Traveling at 82 also comes with one unexpected advantage: I no longer care about impressing anyone.

The author having a delicious meal at Le Marsala in the heart of beautiful Bayeux, France.

Photo Courtesy Of Diane Heiler

The author having a delicious meal at Le Marsala in the heart of beautiful Bayeux, France.

When I was younger, I packed as though every day required a completely different outfit, matching shoes, jewellery and accessories. These days, I pack for comfort, practicality and the occasional nice dinner.

For 22 days abroad, Bob and I shared one checked suitcase, and we each carried a small bag. It wasn’t because we were trying to prove anything. It’s simply that we’ve learned what matters and what doesn’t.

I’ve discovered that one scarf, one pair of comfortable shoes and a little confidence can carry you remarkably far. That’s one of the gifts of ageing. You spend less time worrying about how you look and more time enjoying where you are.

At this age, I’ve learned that nobody really cares what you’re wearing, whether your hair is perfect or if you’ve packed the right shoes. What people remember is whether you laughed, loved, showed up and enjoyed the journey.

And that’s true whether you’re standing on a glacier in Norway, wandering the streets of Barcelona or simply sitting beside a koi pond at home with someone you love.

The greatest surprise of the trip wasn’t Norway’s glaciers, Normandy’s history or Barcelona’s architecture. It was realising how comfortable I have become with this unexpected chapter of my life.

If you had told me three years ago, while I was sitting beside Al’s hospital bed, that I’d be crossing Europe with another man, I would have told you that you were out of your mind.

If widowhood has taught me anything, it’s that we don’t honour those we’ve lost by stopping our lives. We honour them by continuing to live them.

When Al died, I thought my story was winding down. Instead, it simply changed genres.

The author and Bob enjoying a drink by their hotel's pool, overlooking the beautiful yacht basin in Mallorca.

Photo Courtesy Of Diane Heiler

The author and Bob enjoying a drink by their hotel’s pool, overlooking the beautiful yacht basin in Mallorca.

These days, I’m perfectly content sitting beside that pond with Bob discussing books, sports, grandchildren, politics or whatever we’re streaming on Netflix. Twenty years ago, I would have called that boring. Now I call it happiness.

One of the most damaging myths about ageing is that life becomes smaller. I’ve found the opposite. Life becomes more precious. At some point, every one of us realises our time is finite. The horizon becomes visible. Oddly enough, that’s what makes each day matter more.

At 82, the future looks different than I imagined. It includes a new love. A few more aches and pains. Occasionally a wheelchair. And gratitude for every single day I still get to wake up and see what comes next.

Al knew all this before I did. He knew I would need companionship. He knew I would need laughter. He knew I would need someone to sit beside me on airplanes and hold my hand during life’s inevitable turbulence. Most of all, he knew I would need a future.

As it turns out, he knew me better than I knew myself.

Diane Heiler is the author of “A Widow’s Fire: An Intimate Memoir of Heartbreak, Survival and Moving On.” Widowed in 2023 after caring for her husband through his battle with cancer, she writes about grief, resilience and finding joy again after profound loss.

Do you have a compelling personal story you’d like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what we’re looking for here and send us a pitch at pitch@huffpost.com.

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UK Gardeners Warned Never To Do Three Jobs In A Heatwave

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We’re on our third heatwave of the year, and this one’s looking extra-long. That means gardeners might be facing browning grass, drying potted plants, and wilting flowers.

Still, though your first instinct might be to spring into action when you see your plants stressed, some gardening tasks are best left ’til after the hot spell. Watering your grass, for instance, might not be necessary, even if it’s browning – and it could go against your area’s current hosepipe rules.

Here are three activities to put on pause for now:

1) Mowing

Speaking to Gardening Etc., Chris Bonnett of GardeningExpress.co.uk said that it’s important to “avoid mowing the lawn during extreme heat, as the lawn will be trying to recover from the heat or a potential drought”.

Grass that grows in very hot conditions often struggles to form healthy roots, meaning the added stress of mowing might damage it further.

Additionally, even though it might look unhealthy, even scorched grass has its protective place in your backyard.

It works as a sort of canopy for your lawn, protecting it from the extreme, drying heat of the sun.

2) Fertilising

When plants’ leaves curl and brown, you might be tempted to fertilise them, the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources’ page reads.

But a heatwave is probably one of the worst times to do so.

“Your urge may be to whack off the dead parts and give the plant a shot of fertiliser. Hold on!” they said.

“The dead part can protect the living part from further burning. Refrain from fertilizing until temperatures drop below 90 [°F, or 32°C] during the daytime… Fertiliser pushes the plant to grow, stressing the plant even more.”

3) Aerating soil

Aerating soil every two to three years is generally a good idea – it can improve drainage and give roots access to more of those sweet, sweet nutrients.

But experts generally recommend waiting until autumn to do the job.

Luke Newnes, a gardening expert at Hillarys, told Ideal Home: “During a heatwave, your lawn is already working hard just to cope with the stress of high temperatures and dry conditions.

“Creating hundreds of small holes in the soil can increase moisture loss and make it even harder for the grass to recover when it’s already under pressure. Most lawns simply don’t have the energy reserves to bounce back properly in those conditions.”

As if you needed any more reason to hang your gardening gloves up in these punishing temps…

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The Security Step A Travel Expert Says To Make Before Closing Your Suitcase

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We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how military-style packing can save you precious storage space, as well as why ribbons may not be the best way to identify your luggage while flying.

But if you want to protect its contents, it turns out that travel experts recommend taking an added security step just before you head off.

Luckily, it requires no added tools: your phone should do.

Take a picture of your suitcase’s contents before travelling

Christian Bennett, head of travel at Multitrip.com, said that taking a quick picture of the inside of your case before you head off might be worth your while.

“Keeping receipts, taking photos before you travel and holding on to important paperwork means you’ll have everything you need at your fingertips if you do need to make a claim,” he explained.

In other words, if something in your luggage goes missing or gets damaged, you’ll have a far stronger case with “before” pics in your camera roll.

It takes “seconds” to snap a picture, the pro stated, and means you’ll have a record to hand whenever you need it.

Redditors swear by the practice too.

“Take a photo of your luggage and contents – ESPECIALLY if you’re traveling overseas,” a site user wrote.

Take a picture of the outside of the suitcase, too

For added safety, take a picture of the exterior of your suitcase before travelling too.

Speaking to Travel + Leisure, Rob Merlin, a travel advisor at SmartFlyer, said: “We always recommend that clients photograph their luggage before a trip, including the exterior of the bag, the luggage tag, and the contents inside”.

This not only means you’re able to document any luggage damage, but it could also help airline staff to identify your suitcase from a sea of others in lost and found.

The more you know…

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Is This ‘The Coldest Summer Of The Rest Of Our Lives’?

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The part of the UK I’m in is about to experience about a week’s worth of 30°C+ weather, meaning we’re in for yet another official heatwave.

This comes after March temperatures so high that they broke not one, but two records, and the hottest UK June day we’ve ever noted. Schools closed during the last heatwave; wildfires raged; trains were cancelled, and buses caught on fire.

All this is taking place while an El Niño intensifies. It’s part of a decades-long warming trend that seems to be getting worse, not better.

So is it right to say, as I’ve heard expressed in various online spaces and various publications, that this is “the coldest summer for the rest of our lives”?

The sentence rightly points to the indisputable fact that global warming is going to get more dangerous if we don’t intervene. Heatwaves have already become more likely and more extreme.

But climate is different from weather – on a summer-by-summer basis, are we going to experience conditions worse than these every year? And what does it mean if we don’t?

We asked climate experts to share their thoughts.

“This is definitely the ‘least extreme weather’ we will experience”

Speaking to HuffPost UK, Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, MBE, the director of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) and a Professor of Environmental Psychology at the University of Bath, said 2026 will probably pale in comparison to future weather events.

“I would say this is definitely the ‘least extreme weather’ we will experience,” Prof Whitmarsh told us.

“This is how Prof Hayley Fowler puts it, who is an expert in climate impacts.”

The professor was referring to 2025′s National Emergency Briefing by Professor of Climate Change Impacts at Newcastle University, Prof Hayley Fowler.

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Still, Prof Whitmarsh added, “there’s no guarantee every year will see a hotter summer than the one before, but the general trend is certainly hotter over time”.

″‘This is the coldest year for the rest of our lives’ is very unlikely to be true”

HuffPost UK also spoke to climatologist Prof Friederike Otto, a Professor in Climate Science at the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London and the leader of World Weather Attribution (WWA).

She told us, “I think [the idea that] ‘this is the coldest year for the rest of our lives’ is very unlikely to be true, but what is certain is that unless we stop burning fossil fuels extremely rapidly and global mean temperatures are stabilised around 1.5°C, this is one of the cooler summers for the rest of our lives.”

While there may be cooler summers, and even colder overall years, ahead, in the bigger picture, 2026′s endless heatwaves might go down as a regular – even moderate – example of a “new normal”.

This is especially true if we do not urgently address climate change.

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