In climate news, a new report finds human activity is causing Utah’s Great Salt Lake to shrink far faster than previously believed, and that without dramatic cuts to water consumption in the American West, the lake could disappear entirely in the next five years. Since 2020, the lake has lost 40 billion gallons of water each year, and now holds just 37% of its normal volume. It’s currently about 4 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it was in the early 1900s. Researchers warn the dry lake bed threatens to expose millions of people to toxic dust that could increase rates of asthma, heart disease and other ailments.