The Rising Threat of Underground Climate Change: Urban Underworld Ablaze

Urban heat islands elevate city temperatures significantly over rural areas due to their heat-absorbing characteristics.

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Global warming intensifies not only above ground temperatures but also underground heat zones.

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Alessandro F. Rotta Loria's study uncovers the hidden effects of increased underground heat.

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Chicago's ground temperature rises annually by 0.25 degrees Fahrenheit, posing a 'silent hazard' to city structures and ecosystems.

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Underground heat can cause soil deformations, threatening building stability and causing structural damage.

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Ongoing disturbances may lead to high maintenance costs, as ground beneath Chicago could rise or sink by up to 12 or 8 millimeters.

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The underground heat wave could disrupt subterranean ecosystems and promote harmful microbial growth in groundwater.

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The surplus heat could be utilized using geothermal technologies, turning a threat into an opportunity.

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To counter underground climate change, urban planners must reduce heat generation, reuse waste heat, and choose low-thermal-conductivity materials.

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