Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo last month permitting the Department of Homeland Security to test and develop tactics for the Active Denial System, a nonlethal military heat weapon, for potential use at the southern US border, according to CNN. The memo authorizes a seven-month loan of one ADS unit, though it does not specify where or how testing would occur. The device emits an invisible electromagnetic beam that causes a burning sensation on skin from over half a mile away.
cnn.com
· 2026-10-23
Researchers estimate more than 50,000 people died from heat-related causes in European urban areas during the summer of 2026, which saw five consecutive heat waves push temperatures to record highs across the continent. The researchers say a significant share of these deaths can be directly linked to climate change.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-23
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo last month authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to test the military's Active Denial System and develop tactics for potential use at the southern US border, CNN reported. The nonlethal weapon emits an invisible electromagnetic beam reaching over half a mile that causes a burning sensation on skin, producing a tingling effect lasting 10-15 minutes that officials say creates an urge to flee.
tech.slashdot.org
· 2026-10-22
Pascal, co-founded by Adam Slavney and Jinyoung Seo, has raised $8.5 million in a follow-on seed round co-led by Sazze Partners and LB Investment, with KDB Silicon Valley also participating. The company says appliances built with its newly discovered material could run about 20% more efficiently than current refrigerators and heat pumps, and it has signed a pilot contract with a multinational beverage company. Pascal expects to deliver a first prototype in early 2026 and more refined refrigerator units by 2028.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-21
A research team developed an additive manufacturing method that produces ultralong, architected single crystals by precisely modulating current in a pulsed heat-input process. Using a deep-squat pulsed mode alternating between peak and base currents, they created shallow, wide melt pools with convex solid-liquid interfaces that eliminate unwanted grain formation layer by layer. The team validated their thermal model against experimental and infrared observations, including failure modes like structural collapse from excess heat and unmelted wire from insufficient heat.
nature.com
· 2026-10-21
New research shows that roughly half of the world's population has experienced overlapping extreme heat and wildfire smoke exposure. Researchers link the increasing frequency of these combined events to climate change, noting that each hazard carries significant health risks on its own and becomes more dangerous when they coincide.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-15
Data centers generate heat continuously, and researchers are examining ways to capture that excess warmth and store it underground using the earth's stable temperature, so it can later be drawn out to heat buildings during colder months. The approach relies on the fact that ground temperature a few hundred feet down stays near the local yearly average, roughly 50°F, regardless of surface conditions.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-12
Atoco, co-founded with Nobel laureate Omar Yaghi's MOF (metal-organic framework) technology, says its water-harvesting material can be powered by low-level industrial heat rather than high-energy processes. CEO Samer Taha says this makes AI data centers—which generate large amounts of waste heat and consume significant water for cooling—a natural partner for the technology, which absorbs atmospheric moisture and releases it using heat.
wired.com
· 2026-10-07
The climate team has identified ten companies developing solutions to combat climate change, focusing on reducing emissions and mitigating extreme weather impacts. Selection involved expert nominations, thorough research, and evaluation of each company's technological and business progress. The list aims to showcase diverse industries and stages of development worldwide, reflecting current climate trends.
technologyreview.com
· 2026-10-06
RISION has released the Magic and Magic Pro thermal cameras, USB-C accessories that attach to smartphones or Windows laptops to display surface temperatures as a color-coded map. The devices are aimed at helping homeowners spot drafts, insulation gaps, uneven heating, and overheating electrical components, and are currently discounted as part of Prime Big Deals Day promotions.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-05
A newly released 'Carbon Impacts Tracer' translates projected CO2 output from fossil fuel projects into tangible consequences such as heat-related deaths and coral reef degradation. The tool aims to make emissions figures, typically expressed in abstract tonnage, more understandable by linking them to specific human and ecological impacts.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-30
Utilities disconnected electricity to more than 173,000 households across 10 states in July, a month that ranked as the hottest on record in the United States. The shutoffs occurred as many customers faced rising energy bills alongside dangerous heat conditions.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-30
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