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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Detroit Grand Prix: Cooler temperatures could force IndyCar drivers to adjust
Fans during morning practice laps at the Detroit Grand Prix course in downtown Detroit on Saturday, May 31, were seen wearing jackets and keeping their hands in their pockets as drivers zoomed around the track. In short — it was cold. Not frigid, but certainly a lot colder than Detroiters are used to in late May. Advertisement By the time Indy NXT qualification kicked off, around 10:30 a.m., the outside temperature was in the mid-to-high 50s. But winds gusting over 20 miles per hour brought it to a 41-degree "feels like" temperature, which seemed to have a noticeable effect on the race. For the second consecutive year, Colton Herta snagged pole for IndyCar's Detroit Grand Prix, the Andretti Global driver's first IndyCar pole of 2025. THE FIELD: 2025 Detroit Grand Prix: Full list of drivers for IndyCar and Indy NXT races That's far from the typical temperature this time of year, which according to Weather Spark averages around 74 degrees. And as many regular drivers will tell you, the cold can have a big impact on how a car drives. The same goes for IndyCar vehicles — especially their tires. Advertisement "It seems like the tires are kind of slow to come in with how low of a temperature it is and how cold it is today," said Christian Rasmussen, who qualified 12th for Sunday's Detroit Grand Prix. When temperatures are low, it takes longer for tires to warm up, which makes for slower lap times and potential grip issues around the track. That sounds like bad news, but there is a flip side to low temps. If tires take longer to warm up, drivers can potentially drive on them for more laps, which in turn could lead to better overall times even if they're slower on each lap. "It's like, I could stay out for five more laps, but I might lose 6 or 7 seconds here," said Colton Herta, who won the Grand Prix's pole position for the second straight year. Advertisement "So with it being cooler, you could see, I mean, I don't want to put a number on it, but you could see a lot more laps than we have in the past." With cooler temperatures than expected during qualifying, Herta (and the rest of his Fast Six competitors racing in the final round of qualifying) used the new alternate softer tires to try to get a faster qualifying time. It worked out especially well for Herta, who set a track record with a 1:00.48 track time (beating his own record from 2024). Andretti Global/Curb-Agajanian's Colton Herta enters Turn 3 as NTT IndyCar Series drivers compete during Detroit Grand Prix in downtown Detroit on Sunday, June 2, 2024. REVVED AND READY: Detroit Grand Prix: 5 narratives to watch during 2025 race downtown "I think this is probably the most difficult street circuit, and maybe the most difficult circuit to create tire temp," Herta said. "Like I said, this race is crazy. Like, you just never know what's gonna happen." Advertisement Herta is looking to avoid a repeat of the 2024 Grand Prix — last year he also entered in the pole position but finished in the back half of the field during a caution-filled race. As for 2025 circuit leader Álex Palou, he seemed to take it easier during the practice rounds than the rest of his competitors, but turned it up to a sixth-place finish during a challenging qualifying round. "It was tough for everybody," he said after his morning practice laps. "The good thing is that hopefully it's going to make it a bit better tomorrow with the conditions we're going to have." The "conditions" he's referring to is the weather, currently forecasted at sunny and 62 degrees when the race starts. If the wind dies down, it should create a more optimal environment for racing (and for fans). Advertisement And for a race that for years had the reputation of being oppressively hot, cooler temps might create some more intrigue on Sunday. You can reach Christian at cromo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Grand Prix: Strategies may get tweaks with cooler weather
Newsweek
30-05-2025
- Climate
- Newsweek
Shock at Man's Heartbreaking Discovery When Moving Out of NYC Apartment
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A seemingly mundane video of a man standing over an air vent has captivated TikTok, earning more than 1.3 million views. The clip shared by his daughter Maise (@maisieedavis) resonated widely and racked up over 148,000 likes. The text layered over it explains why, it said: "My dad realizing his apartment has aircon on the day he's moving out after spending three months in a New York summer." While New York City summers are known for their intense heat and humidity, enduring them without air conditioning can be particularly punishing. Around 90 percent of households in the city have air conditioning, according to A screenshot from the viral video showing the man inspecting the air conditioning unit. A screenshot from the viral video showing the man inspecting the air conditioning unit. TikTok/@maisieedavis However, this number drops to as low as 76 percent in some low-income neighborhoods, highlighting a disparity that can make a serious difference during extreme heat. New York City experiences a humid subtropical climate, with warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. Annual temperatures in the city generally range from 28°F to 84°F, and rarely fall below 14°F or rise above 93°F, according to WeatherSpark. However, in 2024, the National Weather Service issued extreme heat warnings across much of the U.S., with temperatures of 90°F and above affecting an estimated 270 million people. A "heat dome" had settled over the Eastern U.S.—a high-pressure system trapping hot air and allowing it to intensify daily. High humidity levels further exacerbated the oppressive conditions, making the air feel even hotter. Given the heat, it's no surprise that TikTok users empathized with the father's late discovery. "I promise you... He's thinking about each individual day and moment he wanted that AC and then thought about each and every moment that he built moving out because of not having it," said one user. Others chimed in with remarks like, "he's thinking about how he only moved for that," and "he had flashbacks of the heat that he could've prevented." Another comment offered a simple tribute: "A moment of silence for this king." One user even shared a similar experience: "I did this with a heater after the coldest winters of my life." One viewer joked: "Tell him to do the math about how much money he saved not running it! Dads love saving money, so that will be salve to his wounds." The cost of running an air conditioner varies, according to HomeGuide. Central air systems can range from $30 to $270 per month, while window units typically cost between $20 and $55 monthly—figures that may offer some consolation for those sweating over their energy bills. Newsweek is waiting for @maisieedavis to provide a comment.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers turn to surprisingly simple method to combat deadly heat waves — here's how it works
Thanks to a team of researchers, 400 households in Ahmedabad are getting "cool roofs" to combat excessively high temperatures. Ahmedabad is one of India's hottest cities, with as many as 85 days of extreme heat each year, according to CSE data shared by The Times of India. A team from Germany's University of Heidelberg received funding from the U.K.-based Wellcome Trust — a charity dedicated to solving global health crises — for the roof project. Wellcome Trust's grants have also funded projects to determine links between Alzheimer's and menopause and to use reverse genetics to better understand chronic conditions. The trial in Ahmedabad aims to determine how high temperatures affect overall health. To test this, each home in the study had its roof painted with a white reflective coating, known as a "cool roof," reported Reuters. These roofs reflect the sun's rays instead of absorbing them and heating homes. Ahmedabad is known for having extreme heat spells, with many days from April to June exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, per Weather Spark. While much of India is hot, especially during the summer months, highly populated cities like Ahmedabad tend to be more vulnerable to high temperatures. The heat island effect causes daytime temperatures to trend higher in urban areas due to heat-absorbing materials and fewer trees and water to cool things off. Activities like burning dirty fuels and cutting down forests have sped up the rise in temperatures around the globe. These human-driven actions release large amounts of planet-warming gases such as carbon dioxide, which trap heat in the atmosphere. Places like Ahmedabad tend to feel the effects of these activities even more than other areas. A 2018 study published in the Scientific Reports journal noted that if global temperatures rise by just 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) India could see six times as many heatwaves. Extreme heat in Ahmedabad and other regions in India has increased hospitalizations and deaths. A 2024 study published in the Dialogues in Health journaI found that extreme heat in India contributed to cardiac, skin, and vector-borne diseases in addition to hyperthermia, heat strokes, and respiratory problems. Do you think your home has good insulation? Definitely It's just all right It's good in some rooms Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The "cool roof" project is designed to help researchers understand how much of a difference a cooler environment can make on health. Reuters reported that the project will last for one year, with researchers collecting health and environmental information from participants and non-participants to compare notes. But some residents are already noticing a difference. "My refrigerator doesn't heat up anymore and the house feels cooler," resident Nehal Vijaybhai Bhil told Reuters. "I sleep so much better and my electricity bill is down." By cooling down homes, Ahmedabad residents could see fewer health-related issues. And in low-income areas of the city with limited or no access to air conditioning, staying cooler without extra appliances can be life-saving. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
