As the temperatures rise here in Juneau, a little Alaskan town with little in the way of air conditioning, perhaps we can take comfort to note that a good portion of our population may be fairing well. A recent study suggests that women perform mental tasks better at warmer temperatures than men do.

The study tested college students’ ability to solve problems at temperatures as warm as 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Perhaps, though unlikely, I’m not the only female in Alaska that wouldn’t fit perfectly in the study. 80 degrees to me is roasting! At some point it will be too warm for all of us to perform well.

Nonetheless, if you work in an office, perhaps this study will help you convince your boss to adjust the thermostat.