Overview

• The Nature Climate Change paper tracked 24,922 Taiwanese adults from 2008 to 2022, comparing chronological age to biological age derived from 12 biomarkers.
• Each additional 1.3°C of heat-wave exposure was associated with an average increase of 8 to 11 days in biological age, with effects accumulating across repeated events.
• Older adults, rural residents, outdoor or manual workers, and people lacking air conditioning showed larger aging effects.
• Researchers estimated individual heat exposure using registered home addresses and emphasized that the results demonstrate association rather than proven causation.
• Experts say the findings align with prior studies in the U.S. and Europe and bolster calls for stronger heat-adaptation measures and deeper emissions cuts.