Answers to the questions
we hear most often.
A living resource for visitors, journalists, researchers, policymakers and partners — covering the science of heat, the physics of cooling, and the practical work MEER is doing in the field.
General
A white-painted roof can reflect over 80% of visible sunlight — but only about half of the near-infrared unless it is engineered for it.
The Science
The atmospheric window between 8–13 μm lets Earth's surface radiate heat directly into the roughly 3 K coldness of deep space.
Passive Cooling
Dark asphalt in direct sun can reach 60–70 °C, well over 20 °C hotter than the air above it.
Radiative Cooling
Cities can be 3–7 °C warmer than surrounding rural areas at night due to the Urban Heat Island effect.
PDRC Materials
A white-painted roof can reflect over 80% of visible sunlight — but only about half of the near-infrared unless it is engineered for it.
Reflective Canopies
The atmospheric window between 8–13 μm lets Earth's surface radiate heat directly into the roughly 3 K coldness of deep space.
Urban Cooling
Dark asphalt in direct sun can reach 60–70 °C, well over 20 °C hotter than the air above it.
Agriculture
Cities can be 3–7 °C warmer than surrounding rural areas at night due to the Urban Heat Island effect.
Water Cooling
A white-painted roof can reflect over 80% of visible sunlight — but only about half of the near-infrared unless it is engineered for it.
Human Heat & Health
The atmospheric window between 8–13 μm lets Earth's surface radiate heat directly into the roughly 3 K coldness of deep space.
Dark asphalt in direct sun can reach 60–70 °C, well over 20 °C hotter than the air above it.
Funding & Independence
Cities can be 3–7 °C warmer than surrounding rural areas at night due to the Urban Heat Island effect.
Future
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