As the climate warms, it weakens the ability of land and ocean systems to absorb carbon and lock it away. These responses of biology to temperature lead to the asymmetric or roller coaster shape of the Universal Thermal Performance Curve. This means that as the global climate warms, species will be at risk of being exposed to the dangerous side of their own particular temperature curve. Lakhoo and colleagues showed that heat exposure poses a big threat to the health of mothers and newborn babies. As the climate warms, it weakens the ability of land and ocean systems to absorb carbon and lock it away in soils, ocean sediments, trees and peat.

Source: The Irish Times January 22, 2026 09:00 UTC