The ability to interrogate DNA, proteins and other material in the bloodstream for information about cancers, infectious disease and other conditions is rapidly advancing.
Why it matters: Next-generation blood tests can help detect some diseases early but it's still unclear how much they can improve treatment and ultimately affect whether someone survives a disease.
Monthly and all-time records have been shattered in at least a half-dozen countries, from Europe to Asia, during the past week. None of these events have been typical for June, either.
Driving the news: Japan, Italy, Norway, Iran and Finland are a few of the latest nations to see heat records fall like dominoes in an extraordinary month.
