IN SPACE - JULY 17: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this handout photo provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) on July 17, 2014, German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst took this image of the Earth reflecting light from the sun whilst aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
A new study suggests that there may be a possible explanation to the exceptional warmth the planet experienced in 2023: Earth is getting darker.German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst took this image of the Earth reflecting light from the sun whilst aboard the International Space Station in 2014. A new study suggests that Earth is absorbing more sunlight due to the reduction of low clouds.
This gif shows the powerful eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcano in 2022. The eruption released a lot of water vapour in the atmosphere, which some climate scientists have theorized could have contributed to the unusual global warmth in 2023. published in the journal Science, suggests that one explanation could lie in Earth's albedo, or the reflectivity of its surface, getting darker.
Jung said that when they began to investigate, they found that there were unusual sea ice conditions in the Antarctic, mainly the reduction of sea ice, which reflects sunlight. But that only accounted for about 15 per cent of the warming.2023 was the hottest year on record, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.
"It could be natural variability, these natural ups and downs of the of the of the climate system," Jung said. "We are a little bit doubtful that this is playing a role, because cloud cover has been remaining very stable until something like 2015, and then there was this rather unusual decline that doesn't really look a lot like what you would expect as a fingerprint of natural variability.
One is the changes in the winds and large-scale circulation, Jung said. In fact, there was a reduction of the trade winds in 2023, so that causes less mixing in the oceans, which can lead to changes in these low clouds.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Astronaut Brain Fog 'Space Stupids' Disappear After Returning to EarthA study reveals that astronauts experiencing cognitive decline or 'space stupids' while in space do not show permanent effects upon returning to Earth. The condition, characterized by slower mental performance, is not a sign of long-term cognitive damage.
Read more »
UN climate talks haven't improved Earth's climate prognosis in 3 yearsThis image provided by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection shows the wildfire in Jennings Creek, N.J., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.
Read more »
Fossilized poop reveals secrets of how dinosaurs came to dominate EarthThe earliest dinosaurs were unremarkable, bit players on a supercontinent crowded with other ancient reptiles when they first evolved around 230 million years ago.
Read more »
‘God of Darkness’ Asteroid Will Pass Extremely Close to Earth in 2029OSIRIS-APEX, the follow-up to OSIRIS-REx, will study changes to asteroid from its rare close encounter with Earth in April 2029.
Read more »
Earth ring theory may shed light on an unexplained ancient climate event, scientists sayFamously known for its extensive ring system, Saturn is one of four planets in our solar system that have the distinctive feature. And now, scientists hypothesize that Earth may have sported its own ring some 466 million years ago.
Read more »
Man who died on bus a longtime Munro's bookseller who helped launch Earth Week eventsDoug Koch, 66, had left the bookstore on Government Street Saturday morning, saying he felt unwell.
Read more »