The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Friday that July was the world's hottest month ever recorded, calling it an "unenviable distinction."
What they're saying: "In this case, first place is the worst place to be," NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad said in a statement. "This new record adds to the disturbing and disruptive path that climate change has set for the globe."
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft will be returned to a factory to fix four stuck propulsion system valves that forced the company to scrub an uncrewed test launch of the capsule last week, the company announced Friday.
Why it matters: The Starliner — designed to one day carry NASA astronauts to the International Space Station — has been repeatedly troubled by technical malfunctions, and its latest mission has been delayed multiple times.
Wildfires are raging in Canada, the U.S. and Siberia, emitting carbon dioxide, soot, and other planet-warming pollutants, while also destroying homes and fouling air quality. Now new data shows just how large the fires' carbon footprint may be.
Wildfires in Algeria have killed at least 65 people, including 28 soldiers who died while trying to save residents, Reuters reported Thursday.
Why it matters: The Algerian wildfires are far from an isolated incident. Extreme weather, driven by human-caused climate change, is driving wildfires all over the world, including the U.S., Russia, Canada, Greece, Italy and Turkey.
Extreme heat and wildfires are plaguing the U.S. and Europe, along with northern Africa. Thursday marks the peak of the latest heat wave in the Mid-Atlantic states, with Washington, D.C. likely to reach or eclipse 100°F Thursday, with a heat index closer to 105 or 110°F.
Why it matters: Heat waves and wildfires are two clear manifestations of the growing risks and impacts of global warming, a conclusion reinforced by the authoritative U.N. IPCC's report published Monday.
Fresh evacuation orders were issued in California and Montana on Wednesday, as firefighters in U.S. Western states battled 105 large fires — and authorities warned more wildfires could ignite as a dangerous heat wave looms.
Driving the news: The National Interagency Fire Center said Wednesday fire managers could see an "[i]nitial attack and large fire activity could increase in the Northern California, Northwest, portions of the Great Basin and Northern Rockies areas due to hot, dry and windy conditions and the potential for lightning."
