# Why does is the human body temperature 98.6 degrees?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-is-the-human-body-temperature-98-6-degrees/38715>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 28, 2000, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-is-the-human-body-temperature-98-6-degrees/38715 "2000-10-28T05:20:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DeutschFox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DeutschFox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeutschFox)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2000, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-is-the-human-body-temperature-98-6-degrees/38715/21 "2000-10-29T20:10:59Z")

</div>

Ok … so it is 98.6 degrees F +/- ? F degrees, whatever. I could liberally interpret the question to be … What factors in the evolutionary process led to this approximate body temperature (why not 70F or 120F) and what are the mechanisms in the body, as evolved, that accomplish this “regulated” result of approximately 97F? … But then again, I’ve never even taken a biology course …

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-is-the-human-body-temperature-98-6-degrees/38715/22 "2000-10-31T08:46:24Z")

</div>

Please, **Chronos** , don’t start another sig fig fight. My head is still reeling from the last one. 😃

As for **Fox’s** question, a simple answer would be that human proteins work best at 98._mumble_. Of course, that begs the question, but, um, hey - what’s that over there?!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-is-the-human-body-temperature-98-6-degrees/38715/23 "2000-10-31T14:22:34Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by handy \*  
> \*\*  
> Ready? If the human body is 98.6 deg, why then are we hot when the temperature is 98.6 in the room? ah, fun. I think Cecil answered this? \*\*

[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3\_059.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_059.html)

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-is-the-human-body-temperature-98-6-degrees/38715.md?page=1)