"There's a special kind of fat that kids have more of.
...
55 degrees in the summer feels colder than 55 degrees in the winter. And 55 degrees as an adult likely feels colder than 55 degrees as a kid. But it’s not just a feeling. It all has to do with how our bodies use fat — specifically brown fat, a lesser-known type of fat that can produce roughly 300 times more heat than any other tissue in the body.
Brown fat isn’t the type of fat that adds to our weight (that’s white fat). Brown fat has the sole purpose of being burnt for heating the body, and it’s extremely effective at that. It only appears in specific parts of the body: around the neck, spine, heart, and kidneys. (It clumps around major blood vessels, in order to warm the blood as it passes through the body.)
But brown fat is temporary and can adapt to pressure in a similar way to muscles. Check out the latest Vox video to learn more!
Note: The headline on this piece has been updated.
Previous headline: Why you get colder as you get older"
4 Comments
Khufusays...This is why the last 30sec to 1min of every shower I have is cold:)
newtboyOk, so now explain why I loved it when it was 105 degrees/98% humidity as a kid but now in my 50’s I get uncomfortable when it’s over 85.
Khufusays...Because playing in a river or on a beach in intense heat is great... painting a fence or working on your car in same heat is shit:)
Ok, so now explain why I loved it when it was 105 degrees/98% humidity as a kid but now in my 50’s I get uncomfortable when it’s over 85.
newtboyMakes sense, but growing up in Houston I liked it hot no matter what I was doing, even in school. Now that I’ve been in far N. California for 25+ years I’m ruined and 95 is oppressive even on the river. NorCal made me soft…our summers are usually 75-80 highs.
Because playing in a river or on a beach in intense heat is great... painting a fence or working on your car in same heat is shit:)
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