By coating clothing with this simple material, your body can cool down by up to 8 degrees

Being outside during a heat wave can be sweaty and uncomfortable, and it can even be harmful to your health. But scientists have come up with an innovation that they believe can provide relief: clothing that physically cools the body.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a flexible, chalk-based coating that can be added to fabrics. In tests in the scorching summer heat, they found that it lowered the temperature under clothing by up to 8 degrees Fahrenheit compared to air, and by up to 15 degrees compared to untreated fabrics.

The innovation is one of many ...