A new discussion paper by former senior NASA climate scientist James Hansen and 11 other experts published in the Earth System Dynamics journal reveals the steady rise of Earth's temperatures over the past 45 years means the planet is now as warm as it was during the interglacial Eemian period, which ended more than 115,000 years ago. Back then, Earth's sea levels were 20-30 feet higher than they are today and there was "much less ice," The Guardian reported.
While this paper has yet to be peer reviewed, its findings become all the more alarming when paired with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's latest warning. Last week, the NOAA said that carbon dioxide levels "will not drop below the symbolic 400 parts per million (ppm) mark in our lifetimes — the highest concentration of CO2 since the Pliocene era 3 million years ago," The Guardian reported.
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.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
The hunt for Planet NineUnder The Radar Researchers seeking the elusive Earth-like planet beyond Neptune are narrowing down their search
-
Magazine interactive crossword - April 26, 2024Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - April 26, 2024
-
Magazine solutions - April 26, 2024Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - April 26, 2024
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain PrizeSpeed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
-
The Master and Margarita: the new adaptation causing consternation at the KremlinWhy Everyone's Talking About Pro-Putin groups have called for the film's director to be charged as a terrorist
-
The new 'boom' in Latin American fictionWhy everyone's talking about Almost a quarter of International Booker Prize longlist comes from South America, a region in turmoil
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 winsspeed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughterspeed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
