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Liquid biopsy, a test that revolutionizes cancer diagnosis

National Geographic España, 06/25/2026

Synopsis: A drop of blood, a crucial clue: this is how liquid biopsy works, the tool that detects certain types of cancer before they are visible.

Through blood analysis, early diagnosis can be achieved by detecting tumor genetic material. The procedure is minimally invasive and can replace some traditional tissue biopsies.

The blood sample is centrifuged to obtain the plasma, where red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are found. Then, cell-free DNA, from both healthy and malignant cells, is extracted and sequenced. It is also very useful for monitoring the evolution of cancer that has already been treated, paving the way for early cancer detection.

"At the end of treatment, we don't know if we have eradicated the disease or if some cancer cells have escaped and persist, potentially leading to a relapse," explains researcher Dawson, head of the Molecular Biomarkers and Translational Genomics Laboratory.

"At the end of treatment, we don't know if we have eradicated the disease or if some cancer cells have escaped and persist, potentially leading to a relapse," explains researcher Dawson, head of the Molecular Biomarkers and Translational Genomics Laboratory.

" In breast cancer, between 20 and 30% of hormone-dependent tumors, the most common type, which feed on estrogen and progesterone to grow, often recur, sometimes more than 10 years after diagnosis. During this time, there are no scans or tests that can confirm whether the patient is disease-free. The examination offers the opportunity to intervene before the disease progresses.

Planes collect water from the Seine River to fight a forest fire near Paris

CNN, 07/13/2026

Synopsis: French firefighters are battling a massive wildfire that has burned over 800 hectares in the Fontainebleau forest south of Paris. Firefighting aircraft have been scooping water from the Seine River as part of the efforts to control the blaze.

The climate crisis is leading to warmer, drier weather, setting the stage for more intense fire seasons, which means these fires are occurring earlier in the year and with greater intensity.

Europe is the fastest-warming continent, at a rate more than twice as fast as the global average, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Torrential rains and extreme heat: the climatic contrast hits this Latin American country

RT, 07/13/2026

Synopsis: Thousands of people displaced, floods, neighborhoods completely submerged, isolated communities, incalculable material damage, and declarations of "public calamity" in various parts of the country are part of the toll left by emergencies caused by torrential rains and intense heat waves in different regions of Colombia.

The climatic contrast affecting the eastern part of the country is exacerbated by one of the most intense rainy seasons in recent years, with heat indices exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), triggering an alert regarding the health impacts and water supply.

The department of Casanare is the most affected by the flooding caused by the rains, with 6,755 families reported as displaced so far. In the municipality of San Luis de Palenque, the overflowing of the Pauto River flooded 90% of the town center.

In the departments of Boyacá and Arauca, authorities declared a state of public emergency due to intense rains that affected dozens of municipalities, some of which remain cut off because their bridges were destroyed and road infrastructure suffered severe damage.

In the Colombian Caribbean, there is also a state of public emergency, but for different reasons, as temperatures in the department of Cesar are reaching nearly 40 degrees Celsius.

Germany: Extreme heat left more than 4,000 dead in June

Agencias, 07/10/2026

Synopsis: The heat wave that struck Germany in late June caused more than 4,000 deaths, according to preliminary estimates from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). With this tally, the number of heat-related deaths in the first half of the year exceeds 5,100.

Between June 22 and 28, nearly 22,000 people died in the country. Without the extreme heat wave, the RKI estimates that around 17,500 deaths would have occurred, representing an excess mortality of more than 4,000 people.

The RKI notes that heat is rarely listed as a direct cause of death, except in cases of heatstroke. In most cases, death results from a combination of high temperatures and pre-existing conditions, so the impact of heat is calculated using statistical methods.

At least 12 dead and 23 missing in the deadliest forest fire in decades in Spain amid the heat wave

BBC, 07/10/2026

Synopsis: A forest fire in southern Spain, which has ravaged at least 5,000 hectares, has left at least 12 people dead and another 23 missing, according to the president of the Andalusian Regional Government.

More than 1,400 people have been evacuated, according to the latest report from authorities.

The blaze was fueled by winds of 50 kilometers per hour, which caused the flames to travel 15 kilometers in two hours-faster than any evacuation protocol could handle.

The Andalusian Minister of Health and Emergency Services stated that most, or even all, of the victims could be foreigners, as the flames spread through a wooded area in Almería, a popular holiday destination that hosts many foreigners, especially French, British, and Belgians.

He noted that some of the missing were likely hikers who were caught off guard in the forest.

The decline in plankton in the Northeast Atlantic is very worrying: the case of the Iberian coasts and waters

Tiempo.com, 07/04/2026

Synopsis: Microscopic plankton is among the most important organisms on Earth. It produces roughly half the oxygen we breathe, sustains marine food webs, supports fisheries, helps regulate carbon, and maintains life throughout the ocean.

A new study, led by researchers at the University of Plymouth, has concluded that plankton abundance is declining across vast stretches of the Northeast Atlantic, a region encompassing the Atlantic Ocean from Portugal to Norway and the entire North Sea.

Their results showed that no pelagic habitats anywhere in the Northeast Atlantic were rated as good, and six pelagic habitat-region combinations were assessed as "Not Good," three as "Uncertain," and one as "Not Evaluated" due to a lack of data.

The research also revealed that rising sea surface temperatures, changes in nutrient conditions, declining pH, and altered ocean mixing are key factors associated with these changes.

The Netherlands fears its bridges will collapse due to the heat: Spain, a pioneer, sets an example

DIARIO AS, 07/05/2026

Synopsis: The intense heat waves sweeping across Europe are impacting infrastructure operations. In the Netherlands, the soaring temperatures have forced authorities to cool several movable bridges with water to prevent significant damage to their metal structures. The steel in the bridges expands in the heat, and when expansion joints and mechanisms are not designed to withstand these temperature fluctuations, blockages can occur, compromising safety and preventing the safe opening or closing of the structures. Furthermore, the materials used to seal these joints, such as rubber, resins, and other rubber derivatives, soften under prolonged sun exposure, reducing their ability to absorb structural movements and compromising stability.

Cooling systems using fireboats and temporary watering equipment have been deployed on several bridges in the north of the country.

The high temperatures are also affecting the condition of the asphalt on some roads and tram lines, where the pavement is beginning to soften due to the heat.

France reports 131 drowning deaths due to the heat wave

Prensa Latina, 07/11/2026

Synopsis: Extreme temperatures have triggered a safety crisis in France, where the summer season has claimed the lives of 131 people by drowning since June 19. This alarming figure coincides with the start of a series of heat waves that have broken historical records in the region. The forecast indicates that the western half of the country will exceed 36 degrees Celsius, with peaks that could reach 40 degrees, while in the southwest, thermometers will approach 42 degrees.

The Minister of Sports, Marina Ferrari, confirmed these figures during an official visit to Maisons-Alfort, highlighting that 55% of the deaths occurred in unauthorized and unsupervised swimming areas.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health announced the immediate distribution of 30,000 air conditioning units to reinforce hospital infrastructure. This measure aims to mitigate the impact of extreme heat on vulnerable patients and improve the operational conditions of healthcare facilities in the face of high demand for medical care.

Extreme heat tests the limits of European countries

El Universal, 07/11/2026

Synopsis: One of the most terrible heat waves ever experienced in Europe has not let up since it began in May. France is experiencing its third episode in less than two months. The United Kingdom, its third of the year. And each new wave hits a territory that has not yet recovered from the previous one.

Records have fallen one after another. June was the hottest month ever recorded in Western Europe, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. This is a consequence of heat domes originating from high-pressure systems that settle in for days, trapping the hot air that accumulates beneath them.

The World Weather Attribution scientific network concluded in a report that, with an almost identical atmospheric pattern, the same episode would have been about 3.5 degrees Celsius cooler 50 years ago. An event that was once expected once a century now occurs, on average, every 33 years.

The verdict of that report leaves no room for doubt: "Emissions from fossil fuels have rapidly exacerbated heat waves in Europe in just a few decades."

Venezuela: The Arauca River surpasses historic levels and floods the town of La Victoria in Apure

Últimas Noticias, 07/11/2026

Synopsis: A historic surge in the Arauca River breached the flood defenses and completely inundated the town of La Victoria in Apure state.

The mayor reported that the flooding was due solely to unprecedented water levels, which is why he ordered a temporary freeze on tax collection to support local businesses.

Meanwhile, the head of civil protection explained that the water entered the town during the early morning hours, affecting the town center and the lower Arauca area, where the collapse of three utility poles temporarily disrupted access to agricultural roads, causing property damage but no casualties.

Super Typhoon Bavi hits China with extreme force, prompting millions of evacuations

www.zocalo.com.mx, 07/12/2026

Synopsis: After days of relentless advance across the Pacific, Super Typhoon Bavi made landfall in China with devastating force, striking the coastal province of Zhejiang with winds of up to 144 kilometers per hour. At its widest point, it spanned roughly the width of France. It had already left 17 dead in the Philippines and caused damage in Japan before reaching the Chinese coast.

Authorities activated an unprecedented evacuation operation: more than 1.7 million people were moved to safe areas in Zhejiang and another 180,000 in the neighboring province of Fujian, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The storm also forced the suspension of work, classes, and public transportation in several cities in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and Hubei, and more than 1,200 flights were canceled across eastern China. Before reaching mainland China, Bavi had already wreaked havoc in other parts of the region, striking the southern islands of Japan and northern Taiwan, where it injured 135 people. In the Philippines, at least 17 deaths were reported.

Germany imposes water restrictions due to historic drought

Prensa Latina, 07/15/2026

Synopsis: Authorities in the German city of Munich have banned filling private swimming pools and watering gardens and lawns due to the worst drought since the 1970s, the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported.

The measure, in effect until August 1, affects the entire city and only exempts agricultural land, cemeteries, and sports facilities.

A month ago, the city council had already turned off 150 ornamental fountains, suspended the washing of official cars, and halted the cleaning of municipal windows to conserve every available liter of water.

The extreme measure was implemented after it was found that aquifer levels have dropped by 40 percent compared to the historical average, according to data from the Bavarian environmental office.

Water resource experts warn that climate change is exacerbating periods of drought in Central Europe. In neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia, fines for illegal water extraction have already reached 50,000 euros, while German reservoirs are registering their lowest level in three decades.

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