Conventional wisdom holds that violent crime increases during hot weather. Even our language is peppered with references to "hotheads" whose anger "simmers" until they either "lose their cool" and "blow up" or finally "cool down." Researchers, however, have started to question just how meaningful the link is between hot weather and aggressive behavior. Does violent crime really increase in hot weather?
Yes. Research supports the link between violence and heat: Many studies have concluded that violence does rise in hot weather, says Brandon Keim in Wired. Recently, Florida State University researchers found that, over two years, violent assaults consistently increased in Minneapolis, Minn., as temperatures rose toward the 80s. They attributed the change partly to "social opportunity" — when the temperature goes up, more people spend more time outside.
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