According to scientists with the national oceanic and atmospheric administration, this past July was the hottest the earth has experienced in 174 years. If you took the chance to be outside, or you couldn't avoid it during that month, you probably felt it: overwhelming stifling and impressive heat. Those spikes in temperature are becoming all to common, lasting longer that before, happening in months that they didn't used to. And we've definitely noticed these changes as we crank up the air conditioning, but how often do any of us think about heat and its long-lasting and sometimes devastating effect on the world?

For more on this, KCBS Radio's Mary Hughes spoke with Jeff Goodell, a Bay Area native and best selling author who has tackled the topic of climate change for years.