Scientific equipment and a white board can be seen in Boulder, Colorado, on May 12, 2026, near a facility that reproduces atmospheric conditions in an artificial chamber, inside a lab housed by the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences (CIRES) with the University of Colorado at Boulder. CIRES has been one of many research institutions impacted by budget cuts decided by the Trump administration. AFP spoke to a dozen scientists who recounted how facilities in Colorado -- one of the world's most important hubs for climate and meteorological science -- have been crippled since Trump returned to office last year. (Photo by Ulysse BELLIER / AFP via Getty Images)