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Almost half of the tap water in the US is contaminated with chemicals known as “forever chemicals,” according to a new study from the US Geological Survey. The number of people drinking contaminated water may be even higher than what the study found, however, because the researchers weren’t able to test for all of these per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, chemicals that are considered dangerous to human health. (Christensen, 7/5)

Utah once again has the nation's highest melanoma rate, according to updated data from the CDC. 38.4 per 100,000 Utahns were diagnosed with the cancer in 2020. That's a drop from 43.6 in 2019 — likely due to fewer diagnoses amid reductions in doctor visits during COVID. (Alberty, 7/5)

Black Americans who live in neighborhoods with lower levels of income and education may age faster than their white neighbors, according to a new study. This can be true even when an individual Black person has a higher income or education level — underscoring the extent to which a person’s surroundings can impact their health. (Castillo, 7/5)

“We have never seen anything like this before,” said Carlo Buontempo, director of Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. He said any number of charts and graphs on Earth’s climate are showing, quite literally, that “We are in uncharted territory.” (Dance, 7/6)