July 4 heat wave would've been 'virtually impossible' in 1776 ^31.8%

Scientific American - By Andrea Thompson - 7/3/2026, 11:30 AM

Framing Effect 21.2% - Negativity Bias 12.3% - Appeal to Emotion 12.3%

July is always the hottest month for the U.S., but Julys today are significantly hotter than they were when Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers declared the U.S. an independent nation. The brutal heat wave smothering the eastern half of the country as it celebrates its 250th birthday is stark reminder of... more