The greenhouse effect is the radiative process by which certain atmospheric gases (notably water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone) absorb and re-emit longwave (infrared) radiation emitted by Earth’s surface and lower atmosphere, thereby reducing the net outgoing longwave flux to space and warming the lower troposphere and surface. It arises from molecular vibrational and rotational absorption bands that are transparent to most incoming shortwave solar radiation but partially opaque to outgoing terrestrial radiation. In climate science, the greenhouse effect is quantified via radiative forcing, feedbacks (e.g., water vapor and cloud feedbacks), and its role in establishing Earth’s energy balance and global mean temperature.
Earth's temperature has been much cooler in the past than previously thought, meaning it could be moving toward the warmest it's ever been.
Earth Sciences
Jul 9, 2026
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Moderate volcanic eruptions and extreme wildfires since 2005 have led to an increase in the amount of water vapor in the stratosphere, a layer of Earth's atmosphere above the weather-filled troposphere. That's potentially ...
With an anticipated "super" El Niño looming, a new study led by UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography considers whether society could use a weather-altering technique as a tool to mitigate the floods, extreme ...
Environment
Jul 8, 2026
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30
As the UK prepares for the third heat wave of 2026, most people will be hoping to keep cool at home. Building regulations to protect homes from overheating were introduced in 2022. These require all new homes to be checked ...
Environment
Jul 6, 2026
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After several quieter years, wildfires have returned to western Greenland.
Environment
Jul 4, 2026
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The Southern Ocean has long stood out as an oddity in the global climate system. While most of the planet's surface oceans have warmed in response to rising greenhouse gases, waters circling Antarctica showed an unexpected ...
The world's oceans just experienced their hottest June on record and could set fresh highs in the months ahead as El Nino and climate change drive temperatures even higher, scientists said Wednesday.
Environment
Jul 1, 2026
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Many parts of Australia have already broken early winter maximum and minimum temperature records.
Environment
Jun 30, 2026
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Heat waves are Europe's biggest climate threat. These episodes of extreme heat compound rising average air temperatures across the world, all of which is the direct result of greenhouse gas emissions.
Environment
Jun 29, 2026
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15
Some periods in Earth's history are so different from our own that they may as well belong to another planet. Many people are interested in the age of dinosaurs or the Ice Ages, but it is an intermediate world, the Miocene ...
Ecology
Jun 28, 2026
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