One main topic at the Paris Olympics this year goes beyond the steep competition: The more than 10,000 athletes participating are expected to perform in hot temperatures.
In the 100 years since Paris last hosted the Olympics, the city has warmed 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit in the months of July and August. In the summer of 2003, more than 14,000 lives were lost in France during an intense heat wave.
As far as summer Olympics go, athletes, workers and fans are experiencing more frequent and brutal summer heat waves, no matter where the games are taking place.
Extreme heat and humidity can affect everyone, but athletes face a higher risk because the body produces 15 to 20 times more heat while exercising.
Because of the heat risk, some Olympians and climate scientists have suggested the summer Olympics not be held during the summer.
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