Last week, a heat wave baked swathes of the United States. Temperatures soared in the Midwest and on the East Coast; in New York City, the heat index pushed 110 degrees. Yesterday, it was Europe’s turn. Heat records were broken in several countries. It was 108.7 degrees in Paris and in Lingen, in Germany. Belgium had temperatures topping 105 degrees; so did the Netherlands, breaking a national record that had been set the day before. Public-health officials in several countries warned that lives were at risk; some advised residents not to go outside. In the UK, more than 100 flights were canceled because of heat and thunderstorms, and rail services were severely disrupted. The misery, if temporary, is a striking reminder that as the climate crisis intensifies, extreme heat and its consequences will become more common. – SOURCE