{
  "id": 915047,
  "title": "Walking through forest cools body faster than city streets during heat wave: study",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/walking-through-forest-cools-body-faster-than-city-streets-during",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-14T23:07:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/environment-animals/20260815/walking-through-forest-cools-body-faster-than-city-streets-during-heat-wave-study"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent field experiment conducted by the National Institute of Forest Science in South Korea has revealed that walking through a forest trail provides significantly more cooling benefits to the human body than walking on asphalt roads during a heat wave. The study took place in Hongneung Forest, an ancient forest in Dongdaemun District dating back to the Joseon era.\n\nResearchers utilized thermal imaging cameras to compare participants' heat responses while strolling on a forest trail versus a nearby asphalt road. Those who walked the forest trail experienced their facial surface temperature dropping by up to 1.9 degrees Celsius from the start, and this cooling effect persisted even after they finished their walk. The average facial surface temperature began at 37.0 degrees Celsius on the asphalt road and only slightly improved to 38.1 degrees by the end of the route.\n\nCompared to walking on asphalt, the forest trail resulted in 1.1 degrees lower facial surface temperatures on average throughout the entire walking route. This research highlights the natural cooling properties of forests, offering a more effective alternative to city streets during extreme heat conditions.",
  "summary": "Walking through a forest trail lowers the heat strain on the human body significantly faster than walking on asphalt roads in the city, according to a field experiment by the National Institute of Forest Science, a research body under the Korea Forest Service, conducted amid Korea's ongoing summer heat wave. The institute tested the cooling effect of Hongneung Forest, an experimental forest in…",
  "key_points": [
    "Forest trails cool body faster than asphalt during heat waves.",
    "Thermal imaging shows 1.9°C facial temperature drop in forest.",
    "Forest cooling offers natural alternative to city streets in heat."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Walking through forest cools body faster than city streets during heat wave: study",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/walking-through-forest-cools-body-faster-than-city-streets-during-915972",
        "published": "2026-08-14T23:22:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}