Why it matters: A look at the scientific breakthroughs changing the world, explorations in space and in worlds beyond our own and the threats posed to us by our own planet, both out of our control and of our own making.
Floodwaters in Muhlenberg Township, Pa., a result of Isaias moving along the East Coast on Tuesday. Photo: Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images
Isaias became a post-tropical cyclone as it moved into southeast Canada late Tuesday after pummeling the East Coast for much of the day with heavy rains and wind —trigging tornadoes, floods and leaving millions without power. At least six people have lost their lives in the storm.
The big picture: Isaias made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in North Carolina late Monday before being downgraded. It dumped heavy rain across Florida as a tropical storm over the weekend. On July 31, it lashed the Bahamas and parts of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic as a Category 1 hurricane.
A downed tree in a Brooklyn neighborhood on Aug. 4 in New York City. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Isaias became a post-tropical cyclone as it moved into southeast Canada late Tuesday, after spending much of the day lashing the East Coast with heavy rain and spawning tornadoes, per a National Hurricane Center (NHC) update at 11 p.m.
The latest: The NHC warned tropical storm conditions were expected "for a few more hours" along portions of the New England coast. The storm that's killed at least six people and left over 3 million customers without power in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Delaware, Virginia and Maryland, per Poweroutage.us.
Satellite image of a large-scale lighting vessel in North Korean waters. Credit: Planet
Satellites tasked with keeping an eye on the Earth have helped researchers uncover large-scale illegal fishing operations in North Korean and Russian waters.
Why it matters: Satellite data is giving researchers and governments a bird's eye view of what's happening on Earth, allowing interested parties to see more than they could by just monitoring land and sea from the ground.
Earth seen from space. Photo: NASA
The FCC has given conditional approval for Amazon to move ahead with its plan to launch thousands of internet-beaming satellites to low-Earth orbit.
The big picture: Multiple companies, including SpaceX, see the potential to make millions of dollars in revenue once their constellations are fully deployed.
Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Other nations are catching up to U.S. capabilities in space, potentially putting American assets in orbit at risk.
Why it matters: From GPS to imagery satellites and others that can peer through clouds, space data is integral to American national security.
The scene at downtown at North Myrtle Beach as Tropical Storm Isaias approaches the South Carolina coastline on Monday. Photo: by Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images
Hurricane Isaias is expected to make landfall Monday night with "dangerous winds and storm surge," the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in an 8 p.m. update.
The latest: Isaias reached hurricane strength Monday evening. A tropical storm warning has been extended into Maine, and a tornado watch has been issued for parts of the Carolinas until 2 a.m.