Nsikan Akpan

reuters.comGiant ‘heat storms’ are scorching Earth. The story of the biggest one.Supersized heat waves used to be rare. No longer. Reuters reveals the rise of ‘heat storms.’ They now swarm the globe, upending life and the climate everywhere.

"To understand the new reality of these immense expanses of heat, Reuters consulted with two dozen meteorologists and climate researchers – and analyzed temps for every hour of every day since 1960 for more than one million grid squares covering the entire globe." www.reuters.com/investigates...

"Out of those results we developed a new concept: the “heat storm.” ... we define the largest heat waves – those that at their peak cover at least 1% of the globe, roughly half the size of Canada – as heat storms." www.reuters.com/investigates...

"Applying this definition, Reuters identified a startling transformation. Heat storms were rare in the 1960s, when they averaged about five active storms per year. This decade, heat storms have swarmed the planet, averaging about 102 a year." www.reuters.com/investigates...

statnews.comHelen Branswell, whose reporting on infectious diseases and public health drew acclaim, dies at 69Helen Branswell, STAT's infectious disease reporter who earned the respect of experts and public health officials with her accessible, prescient dispatches, has died at age 69.

“She had a big heart and she looked out for people and she did kind things for people, but she did them quietly,” Brenda Branswell said. “She was never seeking any attention or glory for her good deeds.” www.statnews.com/2026/10/13/h...

Nsikan Akpan reposted

Jonathan Fortney

@jjfplanet.bsky.social

4 Sept

Insane lightning over Ohio, from 37,000 feet, @planetarygao.bsky.social !

www.npr.org/2026/08/31/n...

31 Aug

npr.orgNPR spent 2 years tracking deaths from heat. We found a staggering hidden tollAn NPR investigation found that people in the U.S. are dying from heat much more often than official counts show. We explore the reasons why — and how lives can be saved.

cnn.comOne Thing: Did Trump Cuts Slow the Cyclospora Outbreak Response? - CNN 5 Things - Podcast on CNN PodcastsThis summer, a massive cyclospora outbreak and multiple major salmonella-related recalls have some Americans worried about getting sick and reconsidering whether to buy certain foods. Is there somethi...

16 Aug

A noteworthy dive into the cyclospora outbreak www.cnn.com/audio/podcas...

cnn.comJuly was the hottest month in the US since records began in 1895 | CNNJuly was the hottest month ever recorded in the United States, according to data released Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

10 Aug

It certainly felt that way ... July was the hottest month in the US since records began in 1895 📝: Andrew Freedman www.cnn.com/2026/08/10/c...

cnn.comLake Mead hits lowest water level on record as Colorado River crisis deepens | CNNThe largest reservoir in the United States has tumbled to a record low level as drought, extreme heat, a dearth of snow and a heavy water demand imperil the Colorado River system.

7 Aug

Lake Mead hits lowest water level on record as Colorado River crisis deepens www.cnn.com/2026/08/07/c...

cnn.comWatch an orca ram a sunfish so hard that the fish explodes | CNNHow hard do you have to ram a fish to make it explode? Ask an orca.

23 July

Orcas, man … www.cnn.com/2026/07/23/s...

Nsikan Akpan reposted

Dan Hon

@danhon.com

marketing for season five of for all mankind kind of on the nose thanks

Paul Byrne@theplanetaryguy.com

Left: Venus, 1 March 1982 Centre: Titan, 14 January 2005 Right: Boston, 15 July 2026

cnn.comFleeing Canada’s wildfires: They thought there was no immediate danger. Then a wall of smoke arrived | CNNMiiyah Paavola fled her home in northwestern Ontario this week. “If we had waited any longer, we would have been dead,” she says.

At first, all Miiyah Paavola could see was a thick wall of smoke. From her home in Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, northwestern Ontario, the smoke appeared close. Within hours, they were fleeing for their lives. www.cnn.com/2026/07/18/a...

You know climate change is real when it traps you indoors with a toddler on a Saturday. 🌲🔥😷🐥😭

Alt Hed: Why you can’t trust your smoky eyes …

CNN@cnn.com

There’s more to wildfire smoke than meets the eye, scientists say, and what you can’t see can hurt you. https://cnn.it/4poAuoo

15 July

Wildfire (near-surface) smoke forecast for 5 pm today in the Northeast. Michigan will get the business, and the air quality could be less than fun for NYC, too.

cnn.comDangerous smoke from Canadian wildfires moves into the Great Lakes and Northeast | CNNWildfires in Canada are pouring thick clouds of smoke into the US and will usher in unhealthy air quality for millions of people in Northeast and Midwest.

15 July

More on that www.cnn.com/2026/07/14/w...

cnn.comDC breaks heat record, 17,000 customers without power in NYC area | CNNA dangerous heat wave is tightening its grip on the East Coast, with the worst conditions underway as millions prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July outdoors.

3 July

DC breaks heat record, 17,000 customers without power in NYC area www.cnn.com/2026/07/03/w...

30 June

Word …

nbcnewyork.comNJ Transit says FIFA World Cup overestimates will have cost agency up to $2M per gameOfficials caution it’s too early to know exactly how much spending could have been avoided.

27 June

But at least commuter trains can’t run from Penn Station on game days … “NJ Transit says it could have saved $2 million a game with more accurate ridership estimates. That's $8 million already gone. Another four could amount to losses of around $16 million.” www.nbcnewyork.com/world-cup/nj...

Nsikan Akpan reposted

CNN

@cnn.com

26 June

The difference between one long earthquake and a twinned pair may not matter in terms of human outcomes, but it could teach scientists a lot about this uncommon occurrence and predicting the severity of earthquakes. https://cnn.it/4wbCPoY

Nsikan Akpan reposted

Dan Vergano

@danvergano.bsky.social

23 June

Scientific American is being sold to LabX Media, publisher of Discover: group.springernature.com/gp/group/med... They've fired me and other union staff, ahead of June 26 vote ratification. My rates are suddenly more reasonable, if you need editing or reporting - Argonaut2026@gmail.com

group.springernature.comSpringer Nature to divest its consumer media businesses | Springer Nature Group | Springer NatureStrategic divestment of consumer media portfolio enables Springer Nature to focus on its core business Transaction supports the long-term development

bbc.comFrance confirms first Ebola caseMore than 260 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are known to have died during the current outbreak.

24 June

👀 www.bbc.com/news/article...

cnn.comExclusive: Downed US pilot reported seeing Iranian drones swarm in ‘jellyfish’ formation | CNN PoliticsA US fighter jet pilot rescued by special forces after being shot down over Iran in April described a shocking sight before ejecting from his aircraft: multiple Iranian drones hovering in the air, mov...

23 June

Disclosure Day? www.cnn.com/2026/06/23/p...

Nsikan Akpan reposted

Dr. Erik Klemetti Gonzalez

@eruptions.site

12 June

Group B will come out tomorrow, but before we get there, you should vote for the Volcano World Cup Group A winners! South Korea and South Africa are neck-and-neck (while Mexico coasts along in front). Remember, the top #3 countries move to the knockouts! eruptions.site/2026/06/11/v...

pressgazette.co.ukTop 50 US news websites: Traffic decline at four-fifths of major newsbrands in MayPress Gazette lists the top 50 biggest websites for news in the US. Monthly updated top 50 listing based on data from Similarweb.

11 June

The AI search effect ... pressgazette.co.uk/media-audien...

Nsikan Akpan reposted

Katie Mack

@astrokatie.com

11 June

Obviously this is a terrible idea but also I think we need an immediate moratorium on LLMs using bi flag colors as they are not worthy of the aesthetic

The Associated Press@apnews.com

Visa is embedding its payment network into ChatGPT, allowing the chatbot to shop and complete transactions for users.

bit.lyVisa plugs its payment network into ChatGPT, letting AI agents shop and pay for usersVisa is embedding its payment network into ChatGPT, allowing the chatbot to shop and complete transactions for users.

Nsikan Akpan reposted

Carl Quintanilla

@carlquintanilla.bsky.social

11 June

The US strike that reportedly killed three Indian sailors gets more pickup. @wsj.com www.wsj.com/world/india-...

theguardian.comIt was Britain’s most expensive house. Why is its only resident a homeless man who lives on the porch?2-8A Rutland Gate had jewel-encrusted bathroom suites and gold wastepaper bins in its 45 rooms, but has lain empty for years. With many people desperate for secure housing, what does the abandonment o...

10 June

Worth a read

Sam Wollaston@samwollaston.bsky.social

I did something about a house www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Nsikan Akpan reposted

Maryn McKenna

@marynmck.bsky.social

farmpolicynews.illinois.eduScrewworm Confirmed in New Mexico for First Time - Farm Policy NewsThe USDA confirmed an additional three cases of New World screwworm — including the first outside of Texas, in New Mexico — bringing the total number of detections in the US to five and raising concer...

New World screw worm has now crossed a state border from Texas to New Mexico. Five total identifications now. farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/06/scre...

wsj.comAmerica Is Already Losing the World Cup for Hotel BookingsHotels in Canada and Mexico are scoring higher occupancy rates, reflecting cheaper overall costs and backlash against U.S. visa policies.

"Hotel bookings in Canada and Mexico are outpacing all but one American city ahead of FIFA’s biggest soccer competition, which is unfolding across 16 North American cities starting Thursday." 📝 Kate King www.wsj.com/lifestyle/tr...

washingtonpost.comOpinion | Don’t tell Trump, but the U.S. is still a WHO memberThe World Health Organization has deftly handled attempts by countries to leave.

I'm surprised that the health community and news outlets haven't discussed this topic more often. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

apnews.comUS carriers spent $6.5B on fuel in April; global profit forecast is cut nearly in halfNew government data released Monday shows U.S. airlines spent nearly $6.5 billion on jet fuel in April.

“U.S. carriers spent nearly $6.5 billion on fuel in April, compared with about $3.6 billion a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.” ✍️ Rio Yamat apnews.com/article/jet-...

cbsnews.comNew Penn Station renderings show plan for $8 billion transformation: "America's world-class station"Leaders of the Penn Station renovation unveiled a bold new design with a soaring Eighth Avenue entrance and bright concourses.

Six years in NYC construction means 60. "Officials hope construction for the project will begin next year and take about six years to complete, so commuters will need to have some patience." www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news...

Can I place a bet on Kalshi on whether they complete this before my grandchildren are born?

Nsikan Akpan reposted

Reuters Legal

@legal.reuters.com

reut.rsGavi plans to use U.S. cash for malaria, while meeting Kennedy's conditionsThe global vaccine group Gavi said on Monday it hopes to use $600 million in soon-to-be-restored U.S. funding to boost malaria and other vaccination efforts, as it also meets U.S. conditions over phasing out the preservative thimerosal in other vaccines ‌in its portfolio.

The global vaccine group Gavi said on Monday it hopes to use $600 million in soon-to-be-restored U.S. funding to boost malaria and other vaccination efforts, as it also meets U.S. conditions over phasing out the preservative thimerosal in other vaccines in its portfolio.

apnews.comTropical Storm Boris forms off Mexico's southern Pacific coast and brings flooding threatTropical Storm Boris has formed and is expected to bring heavy rain to parts of southern Mexico's Pacific coast. The U.S.

Tropical Storm Boris forms off Mexico’s southern Pacific coast and brings flooding threat apnews.com/article/trop...

Nsikan Akpan reposted

Maryn McKenna

@marynmck.bsky.social

farmpolicynews.illinois.eduCanada Bans Texas Livestock Imports After Second Screwworm Case - Farm Policy NewsA second case of the flesh-eating New World screwworm has been confirmed in South Texas, intensifying concerns among agricultural officials and prompting Canada to suspend livestock imports from Texas...

Canada has suspended imports of Texas beef. And that was before the announcement today of TWO NEW cases of New World screwworm, doubling the total to four, in different parts of the state. farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/06/cana...

projects.propublica.orgWhat ProPublica Found in the Genetic Code of America’s Measles Outbreaks — ProPublicaThe U.S. eliminated measles a quarter century ago, but to keep its “measles-free” designation, officials will have to make a strong case that measles is not continuously spreading within its borders. ...

No mention of whether they consulted geneticists on this one ... 👀

Charles Ornstein@charlesornstein.bsky.social

ProPublica analyzed the genetic code of America’s measles outbreaks and here’s what we found: The measles virus still spreading in Utah as of this May is very closely related to the one that sickened Texans over a year ago. @natlash.bsky.social @sheinvestigates.bsky.social

espn.comFIFA reverses World Cup water bottle ban after backlashFIFA has reversed its decision to bar World Cup fans from bringing refillable water bottles into the tournament's 16 stadiums across North America, following fierce backlash.

6 June

FIFA reverses World Cup water bottle ban after backlash www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Nsikan Akpan reposted

Phil PlAIt

@philplait.bsky.social

5 June

Waiting for updates on the ISS situation now, where an air leak in the Russian Zvezda module doubled rapidly.

Zach Weinersmith@zachweinersmith.bsky.social

Yikes www.reuters.com/science/inte... One thing we tried to emphasize in A City on Mars is that this sort of thing is pretty common. A lot of doing space is maintenance, not gazing out at the horizon. However, this is pretty extreme. Hope it gets resolved quickly.

reuters.comNASA puts ISS astronauts on evacuation alert after worsening air leakAstronauts aboard the International Space Station were ordered by NASA to shelter in their ‌spacecraft and prepare for potential evacuation on Friday as a Russian crew attempts to fix a worsening lea...

kffhealthnews.org‘We Live With Fear’: In Congo, Doctors Face Ebola With Little Protection - KFF Health NewsTravel bans and conflict have disrupted supply chains in the Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving health workers without Ebola tests and protective gear needed to contain the outbreak.

5 June

“But despite international attention, doctors in northeastern Congo say that many clinics lack even rudimentary supplies: gloves, protective gowns, masks, Ebola tests, and even clean water.” 📝 @amymaxmen.bsky.social kffhealthnews.org/public-healt...

reuters.comFlesh-eating screwworm may have been detected in South Texas, USDA saysAn infestation of the flesh-eating screwworm parasite may have been detected in South Texas, and a sample is at ‌a federal government laboratory for testing, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said o...

3 June

I thought I was joking. Update: Flesh-eating screwworm may have been detected in South Texas, USDA says www.reuters.com/business/hea...

Nsikan Akpan@monscience.bsky.social

Just trying to make it in time for Freedom 250 ... www.reuters.com/business/hea...

reuters.comFlesh-eating screwworm detected 25 miles from US border in Mexico, USDA saysA parasitic fly that eats warm-blooded animals alive and could cause millions of ‌dollars in economic damage was found in Mexico within 25 miles of the U.S. border, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke...

2 June

Just trying to make it in time for Freedom 250 ... www.reuters.com/business/hea...