More Than a Forecast

More Than a Forecast

From Humans in Public Health by Brown University School of Public Health

March 5, 2026 · 16 min · Episode 49

About this episode

This episode discusses the impact of hyper-local temperature and air quality measurements on public health, particularly in high-risk communities.

When you check the weather on your phone, you're getting a "best guess" based on the nearest airport—but your actual neighborhood could be much hotter. And in high-risk communities, this invisible temperature spike or major air quality issue transforms a daily forecast into a serious medical emergency. In this special episode in honor of Brown’s first-ever Climate Week, environmental epidemiologist Allan Just explains how his team uses NASA satellite data to measure hyper-local temperatures and air pollution. Discover why these precise measurements are vital for public health, especially for those on common medications that can unexpectedly increase vulnerability to extreme heat.

People in this episode

Guest: Allan Just

Topics covered

  • climate change
  • public health
  • environmental epidemiology
  • air quality
  • temperature measurement

Keywords

  • weather
  • public health
  • air pollution
  • NASA satellite data
  • extreme heat

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Brown University School of Public Health, NASA

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