MS-ESS3-5

Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

  1. Climate

    Climate may have sent drift of the North Pole toward Greenland

    This mid-1990s shift in the pole’s movement was driven by glacial melt. And that was triggered in part by climate change, a new study reports.

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  2. Earth

    Here’s how lightning may help clean the air

    Airplane observations show that storm clouds can generate huge quantities of air-cleansing chemicals known as oxidants.

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  3. Climate

    Surfing the winds would make future jet travel greener

    Simple route changes could drastically cut fuel use and greenhouse-gas emissions, a new study finds.

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  4. Animals

    Analyze This: Cows burp less methane after early-life treatment

    Calves that receive the 14-week treatment belch less of the greenhouse gas, possibly due to shifts in their gut microbes.

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  5. Climate

    Changing climate now threatens northern lakes year round

    Lakes in northern climes are getting warmer, and that’s not good for people, plants or animals.

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  6. Tech

    Greening your digital life

    The less electricity you use while playing video games or using your devices, the less impact you’ll have on climate change.

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  7. Environment

    COVID-19 cut pollution in 2020, warming the atmosphere

    Pandemic-related lockdowns briefly warmed the planet. The reason: The cleaner air carried fewer planet-cooling aerosols.

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  8. Earth

    Explainer: What are aerosols?

    We may not see them, but tiny particles and droplets cloud the air, affecting its properties. Some may be pollutants, others all-natural products.

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  9. Climate

    Can wildfires cool the climate?

    Severe wildfires are becoming more common. Science is showing that the tiny particles they release into the air can alter Earth’s temperature — sometimes cooling it.

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  10. Climate

    Analyze This: 2020 ties with 2016 for hottest year on record

    Last year capped the warmest decade on record. It coincided with a growing increase of warming greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere.

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  11. Environment

    Surprising long-haul dust and tar are melting high glaciers

    Dust and tar blown onto high mountains, like the Himalayas, boost the melting of snow and ice far more than scientists had realized. Here’s why.

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  12. Computing

    Explainer: What is an algorithm?

    These step-by-step instructions underlie social media, internet searches and other computer-based activities. But what are they exactly? We explain.

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