Knowledge centre

Desert environments and human health

Key concepts in dryland health, from foundational science to remote sensing and artificial intelligence.

An interdisciplinary field examining environment and health under aridity, temperature extremes, dust, and limited access to resources.

Heat, aridity, ultraviolet radiation, dust, and large day–night temperature shifts form an interacting exposure profile.

Physiological load and medical support under severe heat, radiation, dust, distance, and constrained resources.

Thermoregulation, fluid balance, endocrine responses, and recovery during repeated heat exposure.

Connecting satellites, ground observation, and health evidence to map environmental exposure over large areas and through time.

Using machine learning to integrate environmental, remote-sensing, and health data with fairness, transparency, and human oversight.

A traceable horizon scan of dust health, heat adaptation, exposure remote sensing, and responsible health AI.