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{\colortbl;\red255\green255\blue255;\red26\green26\blue26;\red0\green0\blue239;} \margl1440\margr1440\vieww10800\viewh8400\viewkind0
\f0\fs24 \cf2 (Image source: {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sand_dunes_and_road_in_Death_Valley_.jpg"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 Wikimedia Commons}})\uc0\u8232 \u8232
\b BY STEVEN SPARKMAN \b0 \
\pard\pardeftab720\sa240
\b \cf2 ANCHOR LOGAN TITTLE \b0 \uc0\u8232 \u8232 The world has a new
record holder for the hottest day ever recorded \'97 and the discovery almost cost one scientist
his life.\u8232 \u8232 Death Valley, California, is the new title holder. Scientists registered
temperatures of 134 degrees there back in 1913. But for most of the next century, the
Valley\'92s rightful title belonged to Libya. ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/places/countries-places/united-states/us_deathvalley/"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 Video via National Geographic}})\uc0\u8232 \u8232 After in-depth study, the World Meteorological
Organization decided a temperature reading of 136 degrees in El Azizia, Libya, was, for
the record, bogus. That record had been on the books since the recording date in 1922.\u8232
\u8232 But experts had long been suspicious of the record. So the Organization began to
investigate in 2010. ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00093.1"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 American Meteorological Society}})\uc0\u8232 \u8232 Several facts convinced them the record
was wrong. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/3477-new-world-hottest-temperature.html"}}{\fldrslt \b \cf3 \ul \ulc3 A writer for Our Amazing
planet says}} \b \'93Essentially, the case likely boiled
down to someone inexperienced incorrectly reading a thermometer that could easily be
misread...\'94 \b0 \uc0\u8232 \u8232 But that doesn\'92t
mean overturning the 90-year-old record was easy. The team needed original documents,
and most of those came from Libyan researcher Khalid Ibrahim El Fadli. As a result, El Fadli
ran afoul of the Gaddafi government during the Libyan revolution.\u8232 \u8232 {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/comment.html?entrynum=89"}}{\fldrslt \cf3 \ul \ulc3 A writer for Weather Underground}},
who was involved with the study, says: \b \'93In early March, Gaddafi began airing
long nightly rambling tirades on his government TV network. During one of these, he made an
ominous reference to how NATO forces were using Libyan climate data to plan their assault
on the country. \'85 I must say, at that point, I--and the rest of the committee--thought
El Fadli was a dead man.\'94 \b0 \uc0\u8232 \u8232 El Fadli laid low until
after the revolution. Still, he says his car came under gunfire one day on his way to morning
prayers. He and his family ducked down and took off at top speed, escaping with their
lives.\u8232 \u8232 Thanks to El Fadli\'92s work, Death Valley can now claim the title
of hottest place on the planet. Weather Underground {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.wunderground.com/deadheat"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 produced a documentary}} on the research, and a Death Valley park ranger
says he\'92s happy his park is on top. ({\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.weather.com/weather/videos/news-41/top-stories-169/why-is-death-valley-so-hot-30660"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 Video via Weather Channel}})\uc0\u8232 \u8232
\b \'93There\'92s a big difference between first and second. To authoritatively be able
to say this is the hottest spot on Earth, at least as recorded temperatures, is a big
plus.\'94 \b0 \uc0\u8232 \u8232 And in case Death Valley\'92s
record is ever overturned, the next highest temperature on record \'97\'a0also Death Valley.\
}