Your smartphone may be feeling the summer heat just as much as you, especially during the record-breaking heat wave overtaking much of the U.S. this week.
Why it matters: Extreme heat, in addition to being a public health threat and an economic blow, could damage your phone.
A near record strong heat dome has enveloped the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. It is poised to bring record-breaking high temperatures and sultry, uncomfortable nights during the next two weeks, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Why it matters: Prolonged, scorching temperatures increase the risk of heat illnesses or death among the millions of people who must face them.
This chart helps explain how the U.S. has fallen behind China in advanced nuclear industries, a new Information Technology and Innovation Foundation analysis argues.
Why it matters: China, a geopolitical rival, is using domestic development to position itself for a major role in export markets, per the think tank's report.
A prominent startup is deploying generative AI to try to democratize climate risk analytics beyond cloistered and specialized data science teams.
The big picture:Jupiter Intelligence, a firm specializing in calculating and communicating climate risk information, is placing generative AI at the point of interaction between a subscriber to Jupiter's existing services and its vast databases.
The heat wave sending temperatures soaring well into the 90s°F to around 100°F from the Midwest to the Northeast is a slow-motion disaster that gets progressively more harmful each day.
Why it matters: The heat wave is a public health threat as well as an economic blow. That's because of its large footprint, the fact that it is affecting areas unaccustomed to extreme heat and is an early-season event.
Hot, gusty winds in California were spurring seven large fires across the state Monday evening — including the state's largest of the 2024 season, the Post Fire, which has forced hundreds of people to evacuate since the weekend.
The big picture: Air quality was affected across California and also New Mexico — where the South Fork Fire, one of three in New Mexico, prompted the Village of Ruidoso to issue mandatory evacuation orders for the town of nearly 7,700 people after it exploded in size in windy conditions.
A Texas federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit by ExxonMobil against activist investor Arjuna Capital following the firm's promise not to file any climate change-related shareholder proposals.
Why it matters: Although the oil giant could refile its lawsuit, this ruling is a blow to the company's attempt to get more company-friendly guidance on shareholder resolutions via the court.
A Maryland county just north of Washington, D.C., is embarking on an ambitious effort to provide clean, sustainable public transit — even to the point of installing a microgrid for its own electricity and hydrogen fuel production.
Why it matters: Self-sufficient energy systems, or microgrids, are emerging as an important clean energy tool for communities, businesses and government agencies.
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