A new study in Nature Health suggests that delays are no longer necessary, offering the opportunity to assess whose health is most at risk, take protective measures, and test whether interventions are working while the heat season is still underway. 

Heart failure hospitalization risk increases after short-term exposure to cold spells, lower ambient temperatures and higher ambient temperatures, according to a study published in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology, and simultaneously presented at ESC Congress 2026. The increase in hospitalizations, seen in Sweden, shows how temperature extremes can contribute to sudden worsening of illness and the need for health systems to respond to and prepare for environmental stressors.

As the global push for cleaner energy intensifies, solid oxide fuel cells have emerged as a promising option. They turn hydrogen or other renewable fuels directly into electricity and heat without combustion, eliminating virtually all pollution and boosting efficiency to over 60%. But a major downside has kept them out of everyday commercial use: they require extremely high temperatures to operate.

A team of researchers at UT San Antonio and partnering institutions have found a way around that barrier. Instead of relying on perfectly ordered materials, they applied a thermal shock technique to create tiny clusters of disordered atoms that move oxygen ions much more easily at lower temperatures. The result could help make fuel cells cheaper, more durable and easier to use outside the lab.

When temperatures spike, emergency physicians expect to see more cases of dehydration and heat stroke. But a new Northwestern University study suggests that extreme heat also is linked to a much wider range of health problems seen in emergency departments and urgent care clinics, including skin conditions, multiple sclerosis and even injuries from traffic accidents. 

The findings could help emergency departments and health care systems better prepare for heat waves, which are becoming more prevalent with climate change.