Report: Arctic heating nearly 4 times faster than rest of Earth
 
 
The Arctic is heating 3.8 times faster than the planet as a whole, according to a new study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment and reported on by NPR.
Scientists previously calculated that the Arctic was warming about twice as fast as the rest of Earth, but the new research found that previous studies underestimated the impact of warming since 1979, when reliable satellite measurements first became available. "The Arctic is more sensitive to global warming than previously thought," said Mika Rantanen of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, one of the study's authors.
In recent years, heat waves in the far north, which have fueled wildfires and increased ice melt, suggest Arctic warming could be even more intense than the computer models show. Read more at NPR.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
 
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.
- 
 The Mastermind: Josh O’Connor stars in unconventional art heist movie The Mastermind: Josh O’Connor stars in unconventional art heist movieThe Week Recommends Kelly Reichardt cements her status as the ‘queen of slow cinema’ with her latest film 
- 
 The 8 best dark comedies of the 21st century The 8 best dark comedies of the 21st centuryFrom Santa Claus to suicide terrorism, these movies skewered big, taboo subjects 
- 
 France’s ‘red hands’ trial highlights alleged Russian disruption operations France’s ‘red hands’ trial highlights alleged Russian disruption operationsUNDER THE RADAR Attacks on religious and cultural institutions around France have authorities worried about Moscow’s effort to sow chaos in one of Europe’s political centers 
- 
 Hurricane Melissa slams Jamaica as Category 5 storm Hurricane Melissa slams Jamaica as Category 5 stormSpeed Read The year’s most powerful storm is also expected to be the strongest ever recorded in Jamaica 
- 
 How climate change poses a national security threat How climate change poses a national security threatThe explainer A global problem causing more global problems 
- 
 The Earth is getting darker The Earth is getting darkerUnder the radar The planet’s reflectivity is out of whack 
- 
 Scientists want to use enhanced rock weathering to cool the Earth Scientists want to use enhanced rock weathering to cool the EarthUnder the radar Rock dust could trap atmospheric carbon 
- 
 Icarus programme – the ‘internet of animals’ Icarus programme – the ‘internet of animals’The Explainer Researchers aim to monitor 100,000 animals worldwide with GPS trackers, using data to understand climate change and help predict disasters and pandemics 
- 
 Renewables top coal as Trump seeks reversal Renewables top coal as Trump seeks reversalSpeed Read For the first time, renewable energy sources generated more power than coal, said a new report 
- 
 China vows first emissions cut, sidelining US China vows first emissions cut, sidelining USSpeed Read The US, the world’s No. 2 emitter, did not attend the New York summit 
- 
 How clean-air efforts may have exacerbated global warming How clean-air efforts may have exacerbated global warmingUnder the Radar Air pollution artificially cooled the Earth, ‘masking’ extent of temperature increase 
