Greenhouse gases are atmospheric constituents that absorb and emit infrared radiation, thereby contributing to the greenhouse effect and Earth’s radiative energy balance. Major greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), and various halogenated compounds, along with water vapour (H₂O) as a feedback agent. Their radiative forcing depends on concentration, spectral absorption properties, atmospheric lifetime, and overlap with other absorbers. In climate research, greenhouse gases are quantified via metrics such as global warming potential and effective radiative forcing to assess their contribution to anthropogenic climate change and to inform emissions mitigation strategies.
Global emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases are expected to fall by about 10% by 2035, compared with 1990 levels, representing the first decline ever forecast by the United Nations. But the world remains well off ...
Environment
Oct 29, 2025
2
35
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. It is released from natural sources (like wetlands) and human activities (coal mining, and oil and gas production). It is also emitted by agriculture (especially livestock and rice paddies), ...
Environment
Oct 28, 2025
1
34
Researchers at Kyushu University have found that rising CO2 levels in our atmosphere could lead to future disruptions in shortwave radio communications, including systems used for air traffic control, maritime communication, ...
Space Exploration
Oct 27, 2025
1
36
The towering peaks of the Southern Andes are not just shaping the skyline of South America—they are also quietly influencing Earth's atmosphere.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) rose faster in 2024 than in any year since records began—far faster than scientists expected.
Environment
Oct 21, 2025
0
64
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas that both traps heat and destroys ozone, reducing Earth's protection from solar radiation.
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 21, 2025
0
47
In the cobalt waters off San Diego, the key to tracking a powerful greenhouse gas drifts just below the surface. Tiny ocean microbes living in oxygen-starved waters turn everyday nutrients into nitrous oxide (N₂O)—a compound ...
Ecology
Oct 21, 2025
0
23
Once considered a fringe idea, the prospect of offsetting global warming by releasing massive quantities of sunlight-reflecting particles into Earth's atmosphere is now a matter of serious scientific consideration. Hundreds ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 21, 2025
0
107
Burning fossil fuels has elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide, causing massive changes in the global climate including extreme temperatures and weather events here in the Midwest. Meanwhile, human activities have increased ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 20, 2025
0
27
Depending on where you live in the United States, the meat you eat each year could be responsible for a level of greenhouse gas emissions that's similar to what's emitted to power your house.
Environment
Oct 20, 2025
0
43
