MS-ESS3-5

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

  1. Environment

    Arctic Sea could be ice-free by 2050

    Everyone contributes to the melting of Arctic sea ice, and all are in danger of making summer ice disappear there completely by 2050, a new study finds.

    By
  2. Oceans

    Creative ways to help coral reefs recover

    Coral reefs are under siege from threats ranging from climate change to explosives. But scientists are developing ways to rebuild reefs before they disappear.

    By
  3. Teachers talk about climate change, and kids are listening

    Teachers may help convince students that climate change is real. But when it comes to what’s behind that change, many kids appear to rely on more than those educators.

    By
  4. Ecosystems

    Algae embedded in sea ice drive the Arctic food web

    Scientists traced where zooplankton in the Arctic get their energy from. Many open ocean species rely on algae found in sea ice, which is disappearing.

    By
  5. Climate

    Scientists Say: Albedo

    To measure how much light reflects off an object, scientists measure its albedo.

    By
  6. Animals

    Current coral bleaching event is the longest known

    Heat stress has led to the longest coral bleaching event on record. Scientists now worry that global warming may make such prolonged crises more frequent.

    By
  7. Climate

    Zapping clouds with lasers could alter Earth’s climate

    Scientists zapped ice crystals in a lab. They were exploring whether this approach might be used to break those crystals in clouds — potentially as a way to cool Earth’s fever.

    By
  8. Health & Medicine

    Heat sickness

    Scientists worry that increasing temperatures could combine with air pollution to up rates of illness and premature death — perhaps dramatically.

    By
  9. Oceans

    Polar bears swim for days as sea ice retreats

    Melting sea ice is forcing polar bears to swim long distances — up to nine days in one case. Such long treks may be more than the bears can handle.

    By
  10. Chemistry

    Particles in air help fatten clouds’ water droplets

    Making their own clouds has shown scientists how the fattest water droplets form. Understanding this could lead to better forecasts of climate change.

    By
  11. Climate

    Concerns about Earth’s fever

    Burning fossil fuels is causing the planet to heat up, causing weather patterns to change, sea levels to rise and diseases to spread.

    By
  12. Climate

    Explainer: How scientists know Earth is warming

    Scientists can calculate global temperatures, both present and past. Their findings show that the planet is rapidly heating up.

    By