When it
comes to
global warming, clouds may **t be as
helpful as we thought
To some,
clouds resemble bunnies. To others, they can look like squished flowers.
When scientists used NASA data to peer into clouds, what they saw resembled a hazard sign warning of a fast-deteriorating climate ahead.
Analysis of the first seven years of data from a NASA
cloud-monitoring mission suggests
clouds are doing less to slow the warming of the planet than previously thought, and that temperatures may rise faster than expected as greenhouse gas pollution worsens — perhaps 25% faster.
SEE ALSO:
The U.S. is experiencing its third warmest year-to-date
Clouds can play an important role in slowing
global warming by reflecting energy back into space. As temperatures rise,
clouds contain more liquid water and fewer ice crystals, making them brighter, meaning they reflect more sunlight
Read more...
More about
Greenhouse Gases,
Global Warming,
Clouds,
Climate, and
World