--- title: "This Summer Is Going to Kill a Lot of People" description: "Record May heatwaves are already killing dozens of people around the world, as the threat of El Niño looms." date: "2026-05-28" modified: "2026-05-28" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/science-energy/summer-kill-people-heatwave" categories: - "Environment" - "Global Warming" - "Science & Energy" --- # This Summer Is Going to Kill a Lot of People ![Image of a dead sunflower in the sun, turned downward and dry]() *Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Shutterstock* Summer hasn't even started in the Northern Hemisphere, and thermometers around the globe are already fit to burst. In India, at least [16 people have died]() during a pre-monsoon season heatwave as temperatures reach a scorching 116 degrees Fahrenheit, with conditions expected to worsen over the coming days. Meanwhile, the European continent is currently experiencing one of the worst heat waves on record, the [*Associated Press* reports](), with gauges in the United Kingdom recording all-time highs of 94.6 degrees Fahrenheit and 95.1 over a 24-hour period. Seven have already died in France during the [hottest day in May]() in the country's recorded history, while health officials in [Italy]() have moved to restrict outdoor activity. While these temperatures might not sound extreme by American standards — the US is a world leader in air conditioning usage, with some [90 percent]() of households covered — the heat is pushing people and infrastructure to their limits elsewhere in the world. As a [recent report]() on the UK's global warming outlook noted, the country is "built for a climate that no longer exists," with only [5 percent]() of households boasting AC units. "While we do occasionally have warm spells in May, what we're seeing now is unprecedented," Stephen Dixon, a spokesperson for the UK Met [told *CNN*](). "What was around a 1-in-100 year event is now around a 1-in-33 year event." Making matters worse is the [looming threat of El Niño](), a cyclical climate pattern which raises temperatures around the world. That event typically comes once every two to seven years, but the one expected to kick off this summer is massive — forecasted to be nearly as bad as the nearly-apocalyptic heat spell of 1877, which [killed millions]() of people. Keep in mind, these record heat waves are hitting well ahead of both summertime and El Niño. As [researchers have found](), ambient global temperatures are already enough to kill elderly and even young people given the right amount of exposure time. In other words, this summer is about to give a whole new meaning to the phrase "jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire." **More on extreme heat:** *[Earth Screams in Agony as Microplastics Found to Increase Global Warming]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()