Whether it’s surviving a heat wave or running with a runny nose, UO human physiologist Chris Minson has the answers.

Minson has been in the news lately, thanks to his expertise on how the human body reacts to various forms of stress. In a recent article in Discovery News, Minson explains why, and when, hot weather can be dangerous, and he’s quoted extensively in a Men’s Health article on some of the stranger side effects that come with exercise.

In the Discovery article, Minson points out that hot weather isn’t a danger by itself. Heat turns deadly when it’s combined with other factors, like high humidity, that impair the body’s ability regulate its internal temperature.

"If we can't compensate in some way for external temperatures to protect our internal temperatures, that's when things go wrong," Minson said. "If you can't release heat, you've got problems."

In Men’s Health, Minson explains why people tend to get runny noses, muscle twitches, the spins or a half-dozen other odd side effects of working out. The runny nose? That’s because exercise causes the blood vessels in the nose and eyes to constrict, making both of them drip, Minson says.

For the full stories, see “How Heat Kills” in Discovery News and “8 Bizarre Side Effects That Happen to Your Body during Excerise” in Men’s Health.