[fc417fc802]

You should assume that temperatures in scientific articles are accurate to the degree unless explicitly noted otherwise. In the vast majority of cases "routine" measurements are taken in Celsius with digital thermometers that display and are calibrated to one tenth.

Also don't significant figures only work within the same units? I believe for conversions you have to explicitly propagate error. You can skip that when moving between power of 10 units (as is typical when working in metric) using base 10 numbers but if the conversion doesn't match the base then the shortcut breaks.

> 68°F in particular shows up all over the place (like, it's the recommended thermostat setting in the winter to save energy)

I thought the recommended minimum setting to save energy was 55? Because any colder than that and you start risking pipes in enclosed spaces freezing due to temperature gradients.

[slyall]

20/68 is for human comfort/health.

[fc417fc802]

Sure but isn't that less a recommendation and more just what people typically find comfortable? Once I've adjusted to the seasonal change, a bit above 70 in a cold climate in the winter and I start to feel fairly uncomfortable if I'm moving around at all.

If you need to save money you want to lower the thermostat as much as possible and then use blankets or if that won't work for whatever reason then a space heater in a small room.