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Daily Archives: September 6, 2022

This Hot Summer Is One of the Coolest of the Rest of Our Lives

Scientific American: “Extreme heat has been a constant in the news this past summer: In July a punishing heat wave in Europe pushed temperatures across parts of the U.K. above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) for the first time in history. That same month was viciously hot across China, including in Shanghai—home to 26 million people—which tied its highest-ever July reading of 105.6 degrees F (40.9 degrees C). And even before the summer officially began, searing heat settled over the U.S. South in May. Amarillo, Tex., recorded its earliest day with temperatures topping 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C), and Abilene, Tex., endured 14 straight days of 100 degrees F or higher, doubling its previous streak. Those were just a few of the events that contributed to the Northern Hemisphere’s land areas experiencing their second-warmest June and third-warmest July on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But temperatures that make big news today may seem ho-hum—even relatively cool—within a couple of decades, as the continued burning of fossil fuels pushes baseline temperatures ever higher. Heat waves are also becoming longer and more frequent. Not every summer will be hotter than the one just before it, of course, but global warming means that the heat records set today will eventually fall down the charts. As U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said during the July launch of Heat.gov, a government website for heat information, “The reality is, given the scientific predictions, this summer—with its oppressive and widespread heat waves—is likely to be one of the coolest summers of the rest of our lives.”

Omicron boosters are the future of COVID vaccines in the US

Popular Science: “Over Labor Day weekend, pharmacies across the country began receiving shipments of new Omicron- specific mRNA booster shots against COVID-19, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signed off on their use last week. The updated formulas, which will become the standard booster for almost… Continue Reading

The Making of Modern Ukraine: A Free Online Course from Yale Professor Timothy Snyder

Open Culture: “This fall, historian Timothy Snyder is teaching a course at Yale University called The Making of Modern Ukraine. And he’s generously making the lectures available on YouTube–so that you can follow along too. The first lecture appears above. Subsequent lectures will be available on Yale’s YouTube Channel. And you can find the syllabus… Continue Reading

Files seized at Mar-a-Lago include material on foreign nation’s nuclear capabilities

Washington Post – “A document describing a foreign government’s military defenses, including its nuclear capabilities, was found by FBI agents who searched former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence and private club last month, according to people familiar with the matter, underscoring concerns among U.S. intelligence officials about classified material stashed in the Florida property. Some… Continue Reading

Duke University Libraries Election Data

Data Sources, Elections, GIS, Voting Data – Election Data by Mark Thomas: “You’re probably aware that voting in the United States is managed in a very decentralized manner compared to most other countries. There are limited sources that comprehensively compile local-level results or geographic data showing local voting precincts. We’ll discuss several selected projects have… Continue Reading

How Archives went from ‘National Treasure’ to political prey

AP: “…what the National Archives and Records Administration has never been — until now — is the locus of a criminal investigation of a former president. Yet that’s exactly where the agency finds itself after sending a referral to the FBI stating that 15 boxes recovered from former President Donald Trump’s Florida home in January… Continue Reading

Los Angeles school district warns of disruption as it battles ongoing ransomware attack

TechCrunch: “The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has confirmed it was hit by a ransomware attack that is causing ongoing technical disruptions. LAUSD is the second largest school district in the U.S. after the New York City Department of Education. LAUSD serves more than 600,000 students spanning kindergarten through 12th grade at over 1,000… Continue Reading

Scientists hope ‘world’s loneliest tree’ will help answer climate questions

The Guardian: “It is regarded as the “loneliest tree in the world” but the Sitka spruce on uninhabited Campbell Island has been keeping good company of late – with a team of New Zealand researchers who believe it could help unlock climate change secrets. The nine-metre tall spruce holds the Guinness World Record title for… Continue Reading

Another Step Toward Better Broadband Maps

FCC: “On June 30, the Federal Communications Commission opened the first ever window to collect information from broadband providers in every state and territory about precisely where they provide broadband services. I announced the opening of the window with a Note to put this milestone in context and to explain in detail the Commission’s work… Continue Reading