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Heat can be deadly, as this sign in Death Valley National Park warns. Some of the hottest temperatures in the world have been recorded here. But it doesn't need to be 130 degrees out to be dangerous.

How heat kills: What happens to the body in extreme temperatures

Multiple organ failure, heart attack and kidney failure are the primary ways people die in extreme heat. Read on to find out how to stay safe in the heat wave.

Norfolk Southern CEO on freight rail safety in the aftermath of East Palestine

NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw about the push for stricter railway safety rules, following the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train in East Palestine, Ohio.

Mosquitoes spread malaria. Now researchers hope that a gene drive technology could turn them into malaria fighters. Although not every scientist thinks it's a good idea to genetically modify a wild animal.

Mosquitoes spread malaria. These researchers want them to fight it instead

Scientists have used a gene-editing technique to make mosquitos allies in the fight against malaria. Environmentalists are troubled by the idea of genetically modifying wild animals.

Andres Matamoros wipes the sweat from his face while selling fresh fruit and cold coconuts from his roadside stand on June 28, 2023, in Houston. Nearly 400 daily maximum temperature records fell in the South in June and the first half of July, most of them in Texas.

El Niño will likely continue into early 2024, driving even more hot weather

El Niño is warming up the water in the Pacific Ocean. That extra heat affects the whole planet, and has helped drive record-breaking hot weather.

Heavy smoke from Canada's wildfires has put a thick haze over large parts of the U.S. this summer. Here, visitors to New York City hold a map showing city landmarks on a clear day as they stand on the viewing deck of Rockefeller Center in late June.

Why can't Canada just put the fires out? Here are 5 answers to key questions

In Canada, more than 25 million acres of land — an area larger than Portugal — has burned, and the fire season shows no signs of slowing. Here's why many fires are being left to burn.

Going There: Food, Farming And Health

Michel Martin went to Kansas City, Mo., this week to talk about food and health with organic farmer Linda Hezel, hybrid farmer Chris Boeckmann and Missouri Farm Bureau president Blake Hurst.

BP Suspends Dividends, Sets Up Gulf Fund

President Obama may not have cleaned up the oil spill yet -- but on Wednesday he succeeded in extracting a big financial commitment from BP. After a four hour meeting with BP executives at the White House, the oil giant agreed to put $20 billion in an escrow fund to pay the claims of Gulf residents hurt by the spill.

Strict Building Code May Explain Lower Chile Toll

The recent earthquake in Chile was much stronger than the earthquake that shook Haiti last month, but far fewer people have died in Chile. One reason seems to be that Chile has strict building codes to deal with large quakes. Eduardo Kausel, a professor of engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers his insight.

Re-Engineering Mississippi River Could Help Gulf

The mighty Mississippi River may be the only thing with the enduring power to clean the marshes and waterways damaged by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But to put the river to work requires a massive rerouting of the waterway not a piece meal approach.

BP Agrees To $20 Billion Fund To Help Gulf Victims

President Obama and BP's chairman have announced the creation of a $20 billion escrow fund that will be used to compensate victims of the Gulf oil spill. BP also announced it is canceling 2010 dividend payments.

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