The Dixie Fire in Northern California is now estimated to be the second largest wildfire in state history. / NPR

A new UN climate report cites recent extreme weather as further evidence of human-induced climate change—though swift action can still reverse some (but not all) effects. / BuzzFeed News

See also: "The smell of the dead fish is very strong." Summer vacationing amidst climate change. / NPR

Due to Covid concerns, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has been canceled for a second straight year. / Pitchfork

"I also remind myself sternly to attend to what is not dying." Margaret Renkl: I don't want to spend the rest of my days grieving. / The New York Times

Americans' identities are tied to consumerism. As retail undergoes a sea change, people are finding they aren't who they used to be. / The Atlantic

If you haven't yet, please take a moment to complete a private poll and help us improve this newsletter! / Google Forms

"Lynchings in Mississippi never stopped. The evil bastards just stopped taking photographs and passing them around like baseball cards." / The Washington Post

Before Hitler's rise, artists in German asylums were celebrated—until the Nazis used it as a way to rid their culture of "degenerate" art. / The Guardian

More than just an alt-Mary Poppins, 1971's Bedknobs and Broomsticks should be credited for its anti-fascist storyline. / Observer

"Where else can you dance next to a 70-year-old guy in a thong and a schoolteacher, a bunch of goths?" On Numbers, Houston's legendary dance club. / Texas Monthly

A fan wiki for Excalibur, a 1970s BBC fantasy/sci-fi TV show that never actually existed. / Excalibur, The Verge

The number of satellites orbiting Earth is expected to grow eight-fold this decade—and could hopefully help terrestrial sustainability efforts. / The Hustle

See also: From the archives, how to back up your data off-planet. / The Morning News

How authors are using technology to help them plan and write novels. / BBC