Global Cooling

Nice 'n Warm

2. In 2004, the average temperature was higher than expected. Other sources predicted it would be .75 degrees hotter. It's a big difference, and it's not clear why.

Temperature measures the average kinetic energy of molecules in a system and is usually measured in degrees Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Kelvin. A temperature is a measure of how much energy molecules have in an area. Temperature is usually measured in Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Kelvin. Temperature readings can be affected by different instruments and methods.

3. There was a period of colder temperatures between the 1300s and 1800s called the Little Ice Age. Scientists don't know if it affected the Eastern Hemisphere as much as the Western. During this time, it seems like the Western Hemisphere was colder.

Between the 16th and 19th centuries, there was a Little Ice Age. North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa were affected. Changing climates weren't the same everywhere, but it was a time of change. There's been a lot of change in the climate lately. Some parts of the world had cooler temperatures during the Little Ice Age. Human activities like burning fossil fuels are linked to rising temperatures. Droughts, floods, and storms are getting worse.

4. According to the graph, the average temperature today is the same as 2000 years ago.

Using proxy data, scientists estimate the global average temperature has risen by 1.8°F since pre-industrial times. It's a dramatic change, and it's largely caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Climate has always changed naturally over time, but now humans are messing with it too. It seems that as a result, temperatures are rising faster than ever.

5. Have we looked at CO2 concentrations during the Ice Ages?

During ice ages, CO2 levels were around 200 parts per million, and during interglacials, like the one we're in right now, CO2 levels have been around 280 parts per million. CO2 levels increase as global temperatures rise, scientists say. CO2 levels in the atmosphere were lower during ice ages because plants and oceans absorbed more of it. Plants grew slower because it's colder. Currently, we're in an interglacial period, when temperatures are warmer. CO2 levels in the air are higher than they've been for 800,000 years. The Earth is getting warmer along with this.

6. More than CO2, water vapor contributes to global warming. Together, they trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, making it warmer.

Warmer temperatures increase the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, amplifying these impacts. If global warming is caused by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, methane and nitrous oxide are also important gases, but carbon dioxide is still the most important. By putting more carbon dioxide and other gases in the air, humans are helping to make the Earth warmer. Methane is more powerful at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, but there's less of it. Like you said, another important greenhouse gas is water vapor, but nobody knows for sure how great its impact is on climate change.

Bonus: In the past, many environmental scientists said we were entering a global winter. As a science, we need skepticism to understand the current hysteria.

Climate change is real and many things have caused the Earth to get warmer. Climate change is backed up by thousands of studies and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). We learn about the world around us by observing and asking questions. In order to figure out how things work, they look at evidence. And found what they're looking for.

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