Have U.S. alcohol-related cancer deaths doubled since 1990?

Yes. A Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center study published in The Lancet Regional Health—Americas found annual alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the United States rose from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023. Using Global Burden of Disease data, researchers linked alcohol to deaths from liver, breast, colorectal, esophageal, pancreatic, and other cancers—not just liver disease. Men … Read more

Did a microalgae bloom shut down Israel’s desalination plants?

Yes. In early September 2026, a miles-long Mediterranean microalgae bloom temporarily knocked offline five of Israel’s six coastal desalination plants, which supply most of the country’s drinking water. Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, called it an extremely rare event; scientists linked the bloom to algae believed to have traveled from the Nile Delta, with high … Read more

What are the winter 2026/2027 snowfall predictions?

Early long-range forecasts for winter 2026/2027 point to a strong “Super El Niño” shifting the storm track south across North America. Seasonal models favor above-normal snowfall across much of the southern and central United States — including the Sierra Nevada, south-central Rockies, Plains, Midwest, Ohio Valley, and Mid-Atlantic — while the Pacific Northwest, northern Plains, … Read more