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Sam's News — science — 2026-08-10

TL;DR

Climate

Record-high greenhouse gases, sea level, and ocean heat confirmed in 2025

The 36th annual State of the Climate report, published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, confirms that 2025 set multiple records. Greenhouse gas concentrations reached record highs during 2025. Global sea levels reached record levels in 2025. Ocean heat content also reached record levels. The report involved contributions from nearly 20 CIRES (Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences) scientists. The findings underscore that Earth's climate system moved further and faster out of balance in 2025, with multiple indicators reaching record or near-record extremes. The report constitutes an annual comprehensive assessment of global climate conditions.

Sources: Phys.org RSS, Inside Climate News RSS

July 2026 marks hottest month on record for contiguous United States

July 2026 has been confirmed as the hottest month on record for the contiguous United States according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The unprecedented heat continues an ongoing trend attributed to human-caused climate change. This record surpasses all previous July temperatures in the contiguous U.S. since record-keeping began. The high temperatures affected multiple regions across the country and represent a significant milestone in documented climate change impacts.

Sources: Phys.org RSS

Major European rivers reach record low water levels in July

Major European rivers—the Rhine, Rhone, and Danube—reached record low water levels in July 2026, marking the lowest flows recorded during that month since records began. The drought, driven by a series of heat waves, created a drought corridor stretching from the Rhine delta to the lower Danube across April to July 2026. River flows dropped to their lowest levels in seven years. Hydropower generation across the corridor fell approximately one-fifth below recent norms, with the worst-hit systems experiencing drops of one-third to one-half. Nuclear plants along the Danube also reduced output as cooling water became scarce. Gas imports and unusually wet conditions in Iberia helped offset energy shortfalls, though at rising prices. The low water levels disrupted river cruises and stranded houseboats, affecting the region's heavy industries that depend on these vital waterways for transport and cooling.

Sources: pv magazine Global Web Search, Insurance Journal Web Search, Phys.org RSS, Futurism RSS

Regions home to 900 million people experienced record July heat in 2026

About 900 million people across the Sahel, Central America, France, Spain, and other regions experienced their hottest July on record in 2026.

Sources: Phys.org RSS

Environment

Microplastics transport hazardous additives through marine environments

Marine research across Japanese waters found microplastics and plastic debris carrying hazardous additives—antioxidants, plasticizers, UV stabilizers, and flame retardants—that leach into water and persist through fragmentation, underscoring the need to account for chemical toxicity in plastic risk assessments.

  • Detected antioxidants, plasticizers, UV stabilizers, flame retardants in microplastics
  • Irgafos 168, DEHP plasticizer, HBCD flame retardant identified as concerning
  • Chemicals leach from plastics and sorb onto microplastics during transport
  • Fragmentation does not reduce chemical toxicity concerns
  • Collected from coastal, offshore, riverine, and seafloor environments around Japan

Sources: EurekAlert! Web Search, Phys.org RSS

Health

FDA approves new mRNA influenza vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an mRNA-based vaccine for influenza, marking a milestone for the mRNA vaccine platform outside of COVID-19.

Sources: Live Science RSS