> The prospect of U.S.-style air conditioning sends shivers through some Europeans. In France, media outlets often warn that cooling a room to more than 15 degrees Fahrenheit below the outside temperature can cause something called “thermal shock,” resulting in nausea, loss of consciousness and even respiratory arrest. That would be news to Americans who expect indoor temperatures to be cooled to around 75 degrees even when it is near 100 outside.
_seiryuu_•6mo ago
EU's reluctance towards AC, often bordering on what feels like superstition (e.g., "thermal shock" fears), is increasingly at odds with reality. Living in Europe (outside the EU), where summers regularly hit 43°C, I can't imagine functioning without it.
With the growing number of annual heat-related deaths in the EU, this is not just a matter of comfort, but a matter of survival.
impish9208•6mo ago