# Variable: REFERENCE_TEMPERATURE_K

[**lifecycle-kit**](https://jonbogaty.com/lifecycle-kit/api/readme/index.md)

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[lifecycle-kit](https://jonbogaty.com/lifecycle-kit/api/readme/index.md) / [bio-laws](https://jonbogaty.com/lifecycle-kit/api/bio-laws/readme/index.md) / REFERENCE\_TEMPERATURE\_K


# Variable: REFERENCE\_TEMPERATURE\_K {#variable-reference_temperature_k}


> `const` **REFERENCE\_TEMPERATURE\_K**: `293.15` = `293.15`

Defined in: [bio-laws/lifeHistory.ts:245](https://github.com/jbcom/lifecycle-kit/blob/074e4e7b8038d3e2de9eb44c4b5b5aee0ef02b48/src/bio-laws/lifeHistory.ts#L245)

The temperature life on Earth is calibrated against, in kelvin.

293.15 K (20 °C) is the reference the metabolic-theory literature normalises
to. Any reference would do arithmetically — it only sets where the returned
factor equals 1 — but using the literature's keeps the numbers comparable to
published rates rather than to a value someone here chose.