When people speak about global warming, most times they are referring to atmospheric temperatures. However, it's not how the science of warming actually shakes out. In fact, a mere 2.5 percent of all the heat absorbed by planet Earth ends up in the air, while 93 percent of it ends up in the oceans. This very short animation from Climate Central makes the scale of the difference clear:
Subscribe to 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.
-
'Virtual prisons': how tech could let offenders serve time at homeUnder The Radar New technology offers opportunities to address the jails crisis but does it 'miss the point'?
-
The Week contest: Airport goodbyesPuzzles and Quizzes
-
'We shouldn't be surprised that crypto is back'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Cuba roiled by island-wide blackouts, Hurricane OscarSpeed Read The country's power grid collapsed for the fourth time in just two days
-
Wildlife populations drop a 'catastrophic' 73%Speed Read The decline occurred between 1970 and 2020
-
Floridians flee oncoming Hurricane MiltonSpeed Read The hurricane is expected to cause widespread damage in the state
-
Beryl kills 4, knocks out power to 2.7M in TexasSpeed Read Millions now face sweltering heat without air conditioning
-
Arid Gulf states hit with year's worth of rainSpeed Read The historic flooding in Dubai is tied to climate change
-
EPA limits carcinogenic emissions at 218 US plantsSpeed Read The new rule aims to reduce cancer-causing air pollution in areas like Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley'
-
Strong Taiwan earthquake kills 9, injures hundredsSpeed Read At magnitude 7.4, this was Taiwan's biggest earthquake in 25 years
-
EPA sets auto pollution rule that boosts EVsSpeed Read The Biden administration's new rules will push US automakers toward electric vehicles and hybrids
