We've all had the thought — wouldn't it be nice if summer were just a little longer? Well, it might become a reality in the not-too-distant future. And, unfortunately, that's not a good sign for our planet.

According to a new study, climate change — primarily driven by human activities like burning coal for cheap power — could lengthen summers in Europe by 42 days by the year 2100. That's because the "latitudinal temperature gradient" (LTG), or the temperature difference between the North Pole and the equator, is currently decreasing. A higher LTG drives wind patterns across the Atlantic Ocean, bringing about seasonal temperature changes in Europe. With a lower LTG, summer weather patterns and heat waves will last longer across the continent.

"Our findings show this isn't just a modern p

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