Climate Extremes: NOAA says July 2026 was the hottest month ever recorded across the contiguous U.S., underscoring how warming trends intensify heat waves and strain people, crops, and infrastructure. AI + Energy: A new analysis warns the AI/data-center boom is stressing the U.S. power grid as electricity demand rises in unexpected ways, raising the risk of major upgrades—or failures—in some regions. Data Centers in Georgia: A Lovejoy proposal for a 403-acre, 15-building data center campus was withdrawn after resident pushback, while a separate national tally shows data-center bans and restrictions topping 500 across the country, with many in the South. Privacy + Policing Tech: Atlanta-based Flock remains at the center of surveillance concerns, including reports of plans to expand license-plate tracking via rideshare dashcams; locally, Bibb County sheriff’s deputies were arrested after an audit found misuse of Flock license-plate data for personal purposes. Public Health: Studies highlight phthalates as a possible contributor to high blood pressure during pregnancy, and a CDC-linked report spotlighted invasive mold disease as more common and deadly than previously thought. Georgia Tech: Georgia Tech launched a new cloud lab aimed at speeding up research. Workforce + STEM: Clayton County and partners launched a “Built Different” STEM accelerator using motorsports to connect underserved youth with engineering and AI careers. Education & Kids: UGA research suggests some “unsocial” kids are happier when they know they still belong in a wider peer group.