How sweat might get you pulled aside at airport security

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07.12.25

In travel news this week: five Americans living in France and loving it, inside the cockpit of a self-landing plane, plus sweaty secrets of the TSA security checkpoints.

By Maureen O'Hare

❄️ Keep your cool

(Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

It's been a sizzling summer so far in the United States and Europe, but there's one lesser-known side effect of all these high temperatures.

Heavy perspiration can earn you a pat-down at airport security, particularly if it's pooling in intimate pouches.

Ever had the machine go off and the security officer had to wave over you with the magic wand? Moistness might well have been the problem.

We asked the TSA to explain why this happens.

"Added moisture from a person's body can alter the density of clothing, so it is possible perspiration may cause our Advanced Imaging Technology machines to alarm," a spokesperson said.

"If this occurs, the passenger may need to undergo additional screening, such as a pat-down in the area of the body where the AIT alarmed, to ensure there is no threat."

Sweatiness or otherwise, TSA lines will move a little faster from now on, since on Tuesday TSA removed the requirement for all passengers to take off shoes at airport security checkpoints. Our video has the details.

The 3.4 ounce liquid rule remains in place, but there is one TSA-approved hack that allows travelers to bring a bottle of water past the scanners.

It takes a little planning, but your beverage will undoubtedly be refreshing. Here's how it works.

To help you navigate high temperatures this summer — and know when extra hydration is important — CNN has produced a US heat-risk tracker.

See how things are looking in your area right now.

🇫🇷 Swapping the US for France

"I had the dream of France … But the dream was not as easy as I thought at all," says Colorado woman Jennie Vercouteren, who moved with her husband, Ward, to the French Pyrenees in 2016.

The pair entered the property management business and, while things got off to a shaky start, Vercouteren says, "We don't regret making the decision. I love how beautiful and calm life here is."

The Zuerchers, a Florida couple in their early 60s who recently moved to Nice, in the south of France, agree.

"Nice is what Florida wishes it was," is Pennie Zuercher's take on the French city. "Every country has its issues," Geoff says, "so we're not walking around with rose-colored glasses like France is perfect, but it really fits us."

Proving that a fresh start can be made at any age, California woman Carole Carson says that relocating to France at the age of 80 saved her life.

She now writes for her hometown paper back in Nevada City, California, and has published four novels. "Something about being freed from expectations of who I was based on who I'd always been, allowed me to be the writer I'd always wanted to be …" she says. "I was free to recreate myself once again."

One word of caution, though, given all our talk of high temperatures. Western Europe just had its hottest June on record and air conditioning is still very rare in the region's homes. Here's why.

🛬 A plane that lands itself

CNN aviation correspondent Pete Muntean is a certified pilot, but on a recent trip he let go of the controls to allow the plane to land itself. This revolutionary new self-landing system is being installed in some private planes.

Think you could land a plane without breaking a sweat? No? Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have this guide to 16 products that make dealing with perspiration easier.

Might be handy for your next airport trip, too.

💰 Pick of the Day

Brought to you by CNN Underscored

These 12 travel adapters work around the world

Traveling internationally requires serious planning to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch. To make packing a little less stressful, we've rounded up 12 travel adapters and converters to keep you charged around the world.

👀 In case you missed it

The pope is staying cool on his summer vacation in this hilltop town.

Pontiffs have kicked back here for centuries.

He saw her in Yellowstone and thought, "I'm going to marry that girl."

And he did.

Japan's panda capital is losing its pandas.

What happens next?

He fell into a crevasse while exploring a glacier.

Then his Chihuahua saved the day.

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