July Likely to Be Hottest Month on Record in the US - and More Dangerous Heat Is on the Way July is typically the warmest month of the year, but this month could break records as the hottest ever in the United States. Temperatures have remained above average for 260 million Americans in recent weeks, according to meteorologist Ben Knoll, who highlighted the extreme conditions in a social media post. New York City experienced its hottest day since July 2012, while Salt Lake City, Utah, recorded its highest temperature since record-keeping began 152 years ago. These extreme heat events, driven by climate change, are becoming the "new normal," according to Steven Cohen, director of the sustainability management program at Columbia University, who told NPR. The current supercharged El Nino climate pattern has intensified the situation. El Nino brings warmer and drier weather to the northern and central U.S., while the South experiences wetter and more humid conditions. This pattern has contributed to the formation of multiple deadly heat domes this July, with additional ones expected. Heat domes are high-pressure atmospheric systems that trap heat over regions for days or weeks, creating life-threatening conditions. These phenomena have already been linked to at least 70 deaths in states like Mississippi and Illinois, according to a tally of local health data from The Washington Post. New Jersey reported 29 fatalities during the first of two oppressive East Coast heat domes that occurred during the Fourth of July weekend. The first dome disrupted celebrations, caused rail lines to buckle, and led to widespread discomfort. However, the threat remains active. Another heat dome is set to affect the West this weekend, raising temperatures near 120 degrees in California and Arizona.#new_york_city #columbia_university #el_nino #salt_lake_city #drought
Seismic Event Shifted Japan's Tectonic Plates, Study Reveals A newly identified seismic phenomenon, triggered by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, has revealed that Japan’s tectonic plates shifted permanently eastward by a fraction of an inch. This discovery, detailed in a study led by University of Chicago geophysicist Sunyoung Park, challenges existing understanding of how seismic waves interact with Earth’s core and reshape geological structures. The event, which occurred 15 minutes after the magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck on March 11, 2011, was detected through GPS data showing a uniform eastward movement across mainland Japan, from Hokkaido to Kyushu. The shift, measuring 5 to 6 millimeters, was initially dismissed as a data anomaly but gained attention when Park analyzed the patterns. She noted that the movement did not align with the timing of the initial earthquake or its aftershocks, suggesting a deeper, previously undocumented process. According to the study, seismic waves from the earthquake traveled through Earth’s core, rebounded, and returned to the crust, displacing four major tectonic plates. This “core-visiting” wave, which took about 15 minutes to complete its journey, reactivated fault lines and triggered movement along distant plate boundaries, including the intersections of the Pacific and Okhotsk plates, as well as the Philippine Sea and Eurasian plates. Park’s findings highlight a novel mechanism by which earthquakes can influence geological systems long after the main rupture. While traditional aftershocks are localized and unpredictable, this event’s round-trip journey to the core and back allowed for a broader, albeit less intense, displacement. The energy released during this process equated to a 7.#columbia_university #university_of_chicago #sunyoung_park #tohoku_earthquake #goran_ekstrom
Jeffrey Sachs: Iran Conflict 'Irrational and Misguided,' No End in Sight Jeffrey Sachs, a professor at Columbia University, has criticized the ongoing Iran conflict as inherently irrational and misguided, arguing that it has not developed as the United States and Israel anticipated. He further noted that the situation is politically unfavorable for President Donald Trump. Sachs described the current scenario as a "very dangerous misadventure" rooted in a flawed assumption that a single strike could alter the dynamics within Iran. The professor emphasized that the conflict’s trajectory has diverged from initial expectations, highlighting the lack of a clear resolution. He warned that the approach taken by the U.S. and Israel has led to escalating tensions without achieving the desired outcomes. Sachs’s remarks underscore concerns about the sustainability and effectiveness of the current strategy, suggesting that the conflict may continue to spiral without a defined endpoint. Sachs’s analysis comes amid growing international scrutiny of the conflict’s impact, with many experts questioning the long-term viability of military actions in the region. His comments add to a broader debate about the role of diplomacy versus force in addressing complex geopolitical challenges. The professor’s critique also reflects broader criticisms of the Trump administration’s foreign policy approach, which has been accused of prioritizing unilateral actions over multilateral cooperation. The situation in Iran remains a focal point of global tensions, with ongoing military and political developments raising concerns about regional stability. Sachs’s warning serves as a reminder of the potential consequences of prolonged conflict and the need for a more strategic, less confrontational approach to resolving such crises.#donald_trump #trump_administration #iran_conflict #columbia_university #jeffrey_sachs
Mahmoud Khalil remains in limbo but ready to fight Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student known for his role in the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests, continues to face legal challenges a year after his detention. His case has become a focal point in the debate over immigration due process and the Trump administration’s policies on detaining and deporting noncitizens who criticize Israel’s actions in Gaza. Khalil was arrested in March 2025 and spent over 100 days in immigration custody while awaiting a decision on his future. During this time, he missed the birth of his son and remained separated from his family. Despite the prolonged detention, Khalil has remained resolute, stating that the government has not charged him with any crimes or presented evidence of wrongdoing. He claims he was targeted for his activism, which he describes as part of a student movement opposing U.S. support for Israel. The Trump administration’s approach to Khalil’s case has been marked by legal maneuvering. Initially, Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences” as a reason for his detention, a rarely used statute. Khalil’s legal team argued that the administration failed to follow proper procedures, and a federal judge in New Jersey ruled that the government’s actions likely violated the Constitution by penalizing him for his protected political speech. The case took a new turn when the administration attempted to revoke Khalil’s green card, alleging he lied about his work for the U.N. and the British Embassy. Khalil and his attorneys dispute these claims, asserting that his U.N. work was as an intern supervised by Columbia University.#new_york #marco_rubio #zohran_mamdani #mahmoud_khalil #columbia_university
