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Chinese scientists develop fabric they say can cool the body by nearly 5 degrees Celsius

  • It looks like ordinary T-shirt material and uses technology that causes it to emit mid-infrared radiation to reduce wearer’s temperature
  • Team designed the ‘metafabric’ to help people cope in a world increasingly feeling the effects of climate change

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People cool off in a fountain in Madrid, Spain on Saturday. Chinese scientists have developed a fabric to help people stay cool as temperatures rise. Photo: AP
Chinese researchers have designed a fabric they say can cool the body by nearly 5 degrees Celsius and could help people cope with rising temperatures.
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The “metafabric” – designed by a team of scientists from across the country – looks like ordinary T-shirt material and uses technology that causes it to emit mid-infrared radiation (MIR) to reduce the temperature of the wearer, according to their paper published in the journal Science on Thursday.

“Tests showed that a person wearing our metafabric could be cooled down 4.8 degrees [40.6 degrees Fahrenheit] lower than when wearing commercial cotton,” the researchers said. “The cost-effectiveness and high-performance of our metafabrics present great advantages for intelligent garments, smart textiles, and passive radiative cooling applications.”

Human skin naturally emits MIR, which – like other infrared radiation – is invisible to the eye but can be felt as heat. While normal skin temperature is around 37 degrees, the scientists said wearing the metafabric could cool the skin to 31-32 degrees.

They designed the fabric, which can be dyed different colours, to keep people cool in a world that is increasingly feeling the effects of climate change. Last year was on par with 2016 as the hottest on record, with average global temperatures 1.02 degrees higher than for the 1951-80 baseline mean, according to Nasa’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. North America is currently experiencing a deadly heatwave, with Las Vegas, Nevada reporting an all-time high of 47.2 degrees on Saturday, while Death Valley in California hit 54 degrees on Sunday.
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Death Valley in California was scorching hot on Sunday. Photo: AFP
Death Valley in California was scorching hot on Sunday. Photo: AFP

The Chinese scientists say clothing could be a way to keep cool during sweltering heat.

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