A new study conducted by Stanford University challenges the long-held standard that the average human body temperature is 36.6 degrees Celsius. The research analyzed data spanning nearly two centuries and found that the average body temperature is actually between 36.2°C and 36.8°C. The decrease in average body temperature is attributed to improvements in public health and a lower incidence of chronic infections compared to the 19th century. This modification has implications for diagnosing conditions like fever and could lead to individualized measurement of body temperature to identify early signs of disease.