Extreme heat and human health, how to cool cities, could index funds go bust?

A heat wave is coming to our region with temperatures expected to reach triple digits by the end of the week. Why heat is deadly? And how can we cool down our cities?

Listen 45:43
An open fire hydrant is pictured on Reese Street in Philly's Hunting Park neighborhood

Reese Street residents in Hunting Park opened a fire hydrant during a heatwave on July 20, 2022. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

There’s a heat wave coming our way — it’s already blanketing much of the country in record-breaking temperatures. Philadelphia has declared its first heat health emergency of the year starting Thursday morning, with temperatures expected to reach triple digits by the end of the week.  This hour, we’ll talk about why it’s so darn hot and how we can prepare for the scorching weather. University of Pennsylvania physician Sameed Khatana explains how the changing climate impacts the human body and why some groups are more prone to weather-related complications than others. We also look at ways cities can become more heat resistant and why it might be a good idea to start naming heat waves like we do hurricanes. Climate resilience consultant Kurt Shickman will explain.


Then we shift gears and discuss if index funds are overheating. Many people park their money in an index 500 fund or 401K and forget about it. But could the boom in passive investing become a bust? We talk with Andrew Lipstein, author of the Harper’s Magazine cover story “What goes up: Does the rise of index funds spell catastrophe?”

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal