J. Robert Oppenheimer's shadow still looms over New Mexico — as a scientific hero who helped reshape one of the nation's poorest states, and as a villain who generated a trail of human destruction still felt there today.
The stifling heat wave that has affected large parts of the U.S. for more than a month will not loosen its grip anytime soon, forecasters warn.
Why it matters: The longer the extreme heat lasts, the greater the economic and human health effects will be. In addition, the high temperatures are expected to contribute to drought conditions in Texas and the Southwest.
Construction crews, warehouse workers and other laborers are working in dangerously hot conditions through the historic heatwave sweeping the southern U.S. — and employers have few specific legal requirements to keep them safe.
Why it matters: Heat is deadly and people who work outside or without air conditioning are at heightened risk to develop a heat-related illness or worse.
