Why it matters: The effects of new weather extremes on the grid may be seen throughout the summer if intense heat waves trigger energy demand spikes that test the limits of power infrastructures nationwide, officials have warned.
Light pollution is increasingly brightening night skies, raising concerns about possible mental and physical health issues caused by disrupted sleep patterns and altered circadian rhythms.
Why it matters:Light pollution at night increased by 7%–10% each year from 2012 to 2022, according to a study published earlier this year, and it will likely continue to climb.
The United Nations adopted a landmark international treaty to govern the high seas on Monday after nearly two decades of negotiations.
Why it matters: The first-ever legally binding global agreement of its kind, known as the Treaty of the High Seas, provides framework for environmental protections to biodiversity ininternational waters — which cover over 60% of the Earth’s surface. Only 1.2% of the world's ocean areas are currently protected.
An extreme, prolonged heat wave from Texas to Louisiana is helping fuel deadly southern storms that have resulted in the deaths of at least six people and left hundreds of thousands without power.
State of play: A series of tornadoes hit Mississippi overnight, killing at least one person, wounding almost two dozen others and leaving over 49,000 without power, officials said. The severe weather also caused outages for nearly 187,000 people in Oklahoma, almost 79,000 others in Texas and some 69,000 in Louisiana as of Monday evening, per utility tracker poweroutage.us.
