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Summers around the world are already warmer than they used to be, and they’re going to get dramatically hotter by century’s end if carbon pollution continues to rise. That problem will be felt most acutely in cities. The world’s rapidly growing population coupled with the urban heat island effect — which can make cities up to 14°F (7.8°C) warmer than their leafy, rural counterparts —  add up to a recipe for dangerous and potentially deadly heat. [Read More]

As temperatures rise in the Arctic, permafrost — permanently frozen ground — is defrosting at an alarming rate. But the permafrost isn't the only thing in the Arctic that's melting. Exposed rock that was once covered in ice is dissolving, eaten away by acid. And the effects of this acid bath could have far-reaching impacts on global climate, according to a new study. Icy permafrost is rich in minerals, which are released when the ice melts. [Read More]

An art exhibit in Genoa, Italy, featuring the works of modern painter Amedeo Clemente Modigliani, recently closed three days ahead of schedule, after suspicions arose that many of the paintings were likely forgeries. The exhibition, "Modigliani: Selected Works," opened at the Palazzo Ducale on March 16. It featured about 30 paintings by Modigliani, and "many drawings," and was scheduled to run through July 16, according to the exhibition website. But the exhibit's sponsors shuttered the exhibit on the evening of July 13 in order to assist an investigation of claims that 21 of the exhibit's 50 artworks — on loan from private collectors in Europe and the United States, and from museums in the U. [Read More]

One of Peru's most active volcanoes, Ubinas, erupted a massive ash cloud Tuesday (April 15), prompting an evacuation of Querapi near the volcano because of falling ash starting today. The government declared a state of emergency in nearby provinces, which will provide financial assistance for those affected by the eruption, Notimérica reported. The estimated 14,750-foot-tall (4,500 meters) ash cloud is the latest in an ongoing series of small eruptions at Ubinas, according to INGEMMET, the national geologic, mining and metallurgical institute. [Read More]

In 1972, citizen scientist Sir Elton John hypothesized that Mars "ain't the kind of place to raise your kids." While John's remarks were never published in a peer-reviewed journal (though they did peak at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart), he's not wrong about the Red Planet's inhospitality. With its freezing climate, thin atmosphere and weak gravity, Mars will be a hard place to raise the children necessary to sustain a permanent colony there. [Read More]

You don't have to be on the ground in Iraq to see the damage done by Iran's recent missile attack. Satellites operated by San Francisco-based company Planet have captured photos of Iraq's al-Asad airbase, one of the sites hit in last night's (Jan. 7) bombardment. The sharp images clearly show which buildings were reduced to ruin and rubble. Iranian officials have said that the attack was retaliation for the death of high-ranking general Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a U. [Read More]

As far as killing machines go, T. rex was arguably the paleo-titleholder. Now thanks to a closer look at the beast's rear end, scientists may have upped the ante. Apparently, the dinosaur sported some of the beefiest tail muscles, which powered a swift run. Result: T. rex could have run down any other dinosaur in its environment, the research suggests. Until now, scientists thought Tyrannosaurus rex's tail served only to counterbalance the weight of the dinosaur's enormous head. [Read More]

NEW YORK — Today's medical students won't only learn anatomy from a dry, old textbook or a wet, fleshy cadaver. Thanks to NYU School of Medicine and the animation company BioDigital Systems, they can learn using a 3D, virtual, interactive human body. Its makers call it the BioDigital Human, and LiveScience got a demonstration of the 3D system in action. Gross anatomy, the study of the human body at the macro scale, remains a pillar of medical education. [Read More]

And cameras aboard the International Space Station managed to catch incredible footage just a few minutes after the storm's landfall. At the time, the storm carried winds of about 90 mph (145 km/h), making it a Category 1 storm, but that ranking belies the hurricane's massive clouds and the downpour it is visiting on the coastline, with some areas already drenched in 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain. Yesterday, the European Space Agency released a short video of astronauts aboard the space station watching the storm out of the cupola armed with powerful cameras to capture its giant knot of storm clouds. [Read More]

NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of three major wildfires in Idaho and the thick smoke from the blazes, which is billowing over neighboring Wyoming, on Aug. 14. In some places it is so thick you cannot see the ground, meaning people on the ground likely cannot see the sky. The largest of the wildfires is the Halstead Fire, which as of today (Aug. 17) has already charred more than 131 square miles (339 square kilometers) and is only three percent contained, according to the National Forest Service. [Read More]