Axios

Scorching heat waves on three continents, unprecedented ocean temperatures along with global average temperature records are prompting scientists to predict July will clinch the title of Earth's hottest month.

Why it matters: Five days short of August, extreme weather across multiple continents has proven deadly and costly as they upend precedent. Some, like the U.S. heat wave, are expected to continue into next month.

Black Americans born in the early 1960s typically have more than 300 African and 50 European ancestors dating back to when captive Africans arrived in North America in 1619, according to a new study using computational analysis of genetic data.

Why it matters: Many Black Americans who are descended from enslaved Africans have lacked ancestral information spanning several centuries. In a broad sense, the new research by USC and Stanford University could help shed light on their lineage.

Deadly wildfires burning across Europe, North America and North Africa have forced hundreds of people to evacuate as historic heat grips much of the Northern Hemisphere.

The big picture: New research shows this month's extreme weather would've been "virtually impossible" without human-driven climate change. Wildfires and climate change are intricately linked as warmer temperatures lead to more extreme fire weather days and drier vegetation that's more likely to burn.