California painted an entire neighbourhood's roads a lighter colour; pavements became 5°C cooler, although the air fell by only about 0.2°C

Urban centres around the world are looking for ways to cope with rising temperatures as heat waves become more frequent and prolonged. One possible solution may seem obvious, but it could still have significant effects. An experiment in California suggests that roads could help reduce rising temperatures, although the effects are more complex than they first appear.

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