July 4 heat wave would've been 'virtually impossible' in 1776 ^44.6%

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

Negativity Bias 21.4% - Appeal to Authority 21.1% - Confirmation Bias 15.9%

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