Clothing on hot climates...

[Externet]

Seen desert dwellers in Sahara heat to wear heavy clothing. Seen other tribes nearly naked because of hot climate.

 

What is the rationale on each that makes the choice? How does each case work ?

[iNow]

It really depends on the fabric type and color. We discussed a very similar question here:

 

http://www.scienceforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32498

[Mr Skeptic]

Also depends on whether they are in the sun or not. You don't walk around naked in a desert...

[Externet]

Yes, sunny in both cases. The hat use in the discussion link above is understood to provide shade, but wrapping the head in a black rag has to fry the brains.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/TusharPhotos/Ca_stanford/photo#5100235315459422610

 

Is it about insulating above 37 Celsius ambient to avoid the intake of more heat; is it about ventilating(evaporation) with minimal dressing under 37 Celsius ambient to release heat ?

 

Something does not click... Is there some customary factor -not fashion- involved ?

Central american natives wear nearly nothing on similar climate... Could it be that humidity plays a major role ?

 

Miguel

Edited August 25, 2008 by Externet

[iNow]

Or it could be some wacky religious custom. It's really hard to say with any degree of certainty why one culture dresses one way and a different culture another way.

 

Do you have a specific set of examples in mind? This is all still very high level and abstract at this point.

[SkepticLance]

Stretching my memory waaaaaay back .......

 

There was an article in New Scientist about 20 years ago about the heavy clothing arabic peoples used. Sorry, but that far back I definitely cannot tell you the exact issue!

 

Anyway, some researchers tried the clothing set up and placed thermometers inside and outside the clothing. To their surprize, they found that the temperature inside was lower than out. It appears that the loose nature of the clothing actually led to a flow of air through inside the clothing. The arabs are not fools. They use a system that thousands of years of experience taught them was better.

[Externet]

What they dress is what works best for them, no doubt.

If the body produces and regulates heat to 37 Celsius, it seems logic to think that only happens at ambient temperatures below 37; If the body is already 38 degrees, then the mechanism should stay idling.

 

It seems logic too, that avoiding additional heat intake from above 37 ambient is desirable, but physiologically, their genes? simply make their bodies to waste less nutritional energy into making heat. Or something like that.

 

Does the human body temperature regulation mechanism acts if ambient is above corporal 37? By sweating only ? By stopping the heat production ?

 

If stopping the production of body heat saves energy from food intake, it could explain something about desert dwellers... and camels.

[SkepticLance]

The main cooling mechanism for the human body is sweating. This requires a flow of air over the skin for maximum cooling efficiency, and also requires regular consumption of liquids. Which is why people without water die very quickly in the desert. That applies to arabs also.

 

There is a degree of adaptation in desert peoples, but I do not know the details. Perhaps someone else does?

[Mr Skeptic]

Yes, sunny in both cases. The hat use in the discussion link above is understood to provide shade, but wrapping the head in a black rag has to fry the brains.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/TusharPhotos/Ca_stanford/photo#5100235315459422610

 

Is it about insulating above 37 Celsius ambient to avoid the intake of more heat; is it about ventilating(evaporation) with minimal dressing under 37 Celsius ambient to release heat ?

 

Something does not click... Is there some customary factor -not fashion- involved ?

Central american natives wear nearly nothing on similar climate... Could it be that humidity plays a major role ?

 

Miguel

 

Yes, humidity could have a lot to do with it. Where there is humidity, there are generally plenty of plants to provide shade. Hence, people who live there don't need clothes to protect them from the sun, as they will spend most of their time in the shade.

 

Also, insulation works both ways. It will help keep the inside warmer if it is colder outside, or colder if it is warmer outside. Since your body creates heat, insulating it would increase the heat. However, your body also cools itself based on evaporation. This also is related to humidity; the dryer the air, the more effectively sweating can cool you. So long as sweating cools you more than your body generates heat, insulation will keep you cooler (so long as it doesn't interfere with your sweating).

 

Think of it like being in a tent in the desert, or the open air in a desert. The tent will be cooler, if nothing because it blocks the sun. Now imagine if you could wear the tent. Perhaps that is how desert clothes work.