People cool themselves with an ice-cold water bottle from a water station during the Great American State Fair on the National Mall on July 2, 2026 in Washington, DC.

People cool themselves with an ice-cold water bottle from a water station during the Great American State Fair on the National Mall on July 2, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Scientists say that August was the hottest month ever recorded globally. In the U.S., summer temperatures also shattered heat records.

(Image credit: Alex Wong)

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