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Global Warming

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Created on May 5, 2022

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This Virtual Science Teachers interactive is a work in progress. Feel free to use it, but be sure to come back later when it is complete too! Suzanne

Global Warming

Begin

This interactive is brought to you by Virtual Science Teachers. Copyright Virtual Science Teachers 2022

Mauna Loa Observatory

The Great Barrier Reef

Greenland Ice Sheet

Norway

Amazon Rainforests

NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies

Click on the location for NASA Goddard Institude for Space Studies.

NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Your mission is to learn what scientists, like the ones at NASA Goddard, have learned about temperature changes on Earth's surface.

Continue

This interactive is brought to you by Virtual Science Teachers. It is not endorsed by NASA or any other agency. Copyright Virtual Science Teachers 2022

To understand how the temperature of the Earth is changing,we must first understand what is meant by the word "temperature".

Click on the thermometer.

*Learn more

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic (moving) energy of the atoms or molecules in a system.

System B

System A

Click on the system that contains particles which have more kinetic (moving) energy.

Gifs were made using PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

*Learn more

Yes! The particles in System B are moving faster and have more kinetic energy.

System B

System A

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic (moving) energy of the atoms or molecules in a system. Therefore, Systemis at a higher temperature than system A because the particles in System B have more kinetic energy.

  • kinetic
  • potential
  • electrical
  • solar
  • System B
  • System A
  • System A
  • System B
  • more
  • less
Continue
Check

Not quite. Try again.

Gifs were made using PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

*Learn more

Thermometers are usefuls tools for measuring temperature.The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

Select the instrument below that is used to measure temperature.

30

10

20

0 g

40

50

100

110

120

130

140

Graduated Cylinder

Scale

Stopwatch

Thermometer

*Learn more

When the air is really cold, the liquid particles inside the thermometer are also cold and have less kinetic energy.

Yes! Thermometers are usefuls tools for measuring temperature.

The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

When the air cools down, the liquid particles inside the thermometer also cool down and kinetic energy. As a result, the liquid contracts and the temperature reading .

Hover over the image.

  • lose
  • gain
  • decreases
  • increases

The temperature in the arctic image, using the Celsius scale, is about .

  • -18 degrees Celsius
  • -1 degrees Celsius

The temperature in the arctic image, using the Fahrenheit scale, is about .

The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

  • -1 degrees Fahrenheit
  • -18 degrees Fahrenheit
Check
Continue

Not quite. Try again.

Hover over the image.

*Learn more

When the air is really cold, the liquid particles inside the thermometer are also cold and have less kinetic energy.

Yes! Thermometers are usefuls tools for measuring temperature.

The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

When the air cools down, the liquid particles inside the thermometer also cool down and kinetic energy. As a result, the liquid contracts and the temperature reading .

Hover over the image.

  • lose
  • gain
  • decreases
  • increases

The temperature in the arctic image, using the Celsius scale, is about .

  • -18 degrees Celsius
  • -1 degrees Celsius

The temperature in the arctic image, using the Fahrenheit scale, is about .

The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

  • -1 degrees Fahrenheit
  • -18 degrees Fahrenheit
Check
Continue

Not quite. Try again.

Hover over the image.

*Learn more

Yes! Thermometers are usefuls tools for measuring temperature.

When the air warms up, the liquid particles inside the thermometer also warm up and kinetic energy. As a result, the liquid expands and the temperature reading .

  • gain
  • lose
  • increases
  • decreases

The temperature in the tropical image, using the Celsius scale, is about .

The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

  • 39 degrees Celsius
  • 102 degrees Celsius

The temperature in the tropical image, using the Fahrenheit scale, is about .

The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

  • 102 degrees Fahrenheit
  • 39 degrees Fahrenheit
Check
Continue

Not quite. Try again.

Hover over the image.

*Learn more

As you know, some parts of the Earth's surface are cold and some are hot.

NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This image shows the temperatures on Earth's surface in 2013.

Click on the coldest place on Earth's surface.

Hint

Excellent!The South Pole (purple in the image) is the coldest place on Earth's surface.

NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Now click on one of the hottest places on Earth's surface.

Hint

This image shows the temperatures on Earth's surface in 2013.

You got it! Some places on Earth are hot and some are cold.

In this interactive, we will be mostly talking about average global temperature.

The Earth's average global temperature is increasing!

What is average global temperature?

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Click on the person's excellent question.

How do scientists collect temperature data from all

This interactive uses the phase "average global temperature" quite a bit.

You got it! Some parts of the Earth are hot and some are cold.

The average global temperature is calculated by averaging thousands of temperature measurements taken from all over the surface of the Earth.

Temperature measurements are taken from within each of these squares.

How do scientists get temperature measurements from all those places on Earth?

image credit

Click on the person's excellent question.

How do scientists collect temperature data from all

This interactive uses the phase "average global temperature" quite a bit.

You got it! Some parts of the Earth are hot and some are cold.

image credit

The average global temperature is calculated by averaging thousands of temperature measurements taken from all over the surface of the Earth.

How do scientists get temperature measurements from all those places on Earth?

Hellerick, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Click on the person's excellent question.

How do scientists collect temperature data from all

This interactive uses the phase "average global temperature" quite a bit.

When the air is really cold, the liquid particles inside the thermometer are also cold and have less kinetic energy.

Yes! Thermometers are usefuls tools for measuring temperature.

The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

When the air cools down, the liquid particles inside the thermometer also cool down and lose kinetic energy. The less kinetic energy the particles have, the more the liquid expands , showing a lower temperature reading.

Hover over the image.

  • contracts
  • expands

The temperature in the arctic image, using the Celsius scale, is about .

  • -18 degrees Celsius
  • -1 degrees Celsius

The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

The temperature in the arctic image, using the Fahrenheit scale, is about .

  • -1 degrees Fahrenheit
  • -18 degrees Fahrenheit
Check
Continue

Not quite. Try again.

Hover over the image.

*Learn more

Yes! Thermometers are usefuls tools for measuring temperature.

When the air heats up, the liquid particles inside the thermometer also heat up and gain kinetic energy. The more kinetic energy the particles have, the more the liquid expands , showing a higher temperature reading.

  • expands
  • contracts

The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

The temperature in the tropical image, using the Celsius scale, is about .

  • 39 degrees Celsius
  • 102 degrees Celsius

The temperature in the tropical image, using the Fahrenheit scale, is about .

The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

  • 102 degrees Fahrenheit
  • 39 degrees Fahrenheit
Check
Continue

Not quite. Try again.

Hover over the image.

*Learn more

Yes! Thermometers are usefuls tools for measuring temperature.

The liquid inside a thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

Select the image that shows a place where the air particles have more kinetic energy.

*Learn more

Hover over the image.

Thermometers are usefuls tools for measuring temperature.The liquid inside the thermometer expands and contracts as the temperature rises and falls.

Select the possible units for temperature.

degrees Celsius (oC)

grams

degrees Fahrenheit (oF)

Kelvin (K)

Continue
Not quite. Try again.

Check

Hover over the thermometer.

*Learn more

Thermometers are usefuls tools for measuring temperature.Explain here how thermometers work. Then continue on to explain how many other instruments, some that contain thermometers, are used in determining temperatures all over the Earth.

Click on the thermometer.

*Learn more

Here we have two very different places on Earth, with very different average temperatures.

System A

Here we have two very different places on Earth, with very different average temperatures.

*Learn more

In addition to simple thermometers, scientists at NASA Goddard use a wide variety of modern technology to collect temperature data from all over the world.

Weather Balloon

Land Weather Station

Image Credits

Weather Buoy

Satellite

Click on the technology that is used to measure the temperature of the ocean surface and the air temperature just above the ocean.

Photo credit and information

Photo Creditand Information

Photo Credit and Information

You got it! Weather buoys collect all kinds of weather data (wind speed, air pressure, etc.) to include the ocean and air temperatures.

Weather Balloon

Land Weather Station

Image Credits

Image Credits

Weather Buoy

Satellite

Click on the technology that sends electromagnetic waves from space to obtain data about Earth's temperature.

Photo credit and information

Photo Creditand Information

Photo Credit and Information

Yes! As satellites circle Earth, they collect information that helps scientists understand how the temperatures on Earth are changing.

Weather Balloon

Land Weather Station

Image Credits

Image Credits

Weather Buoy

Satellite

Click on the technology that floats high in the atmosphere to measure wind, temperature, and humidity.

Photo credit and information

Photo Creditand Information

Photo Credit and Information

Radar

*Learn more

That's right! Weather balloons are equipped to collect and send (using radio signals) useful information about the atmosphere.

Weather Balloon

Land Weather Station

Image Credits

Image Credits

Weather Buoy

Satellite

And finally, click on one of the thousands of weather stations that are placed on land.

Photo credit and information

Photo Creditand Information

Photo Credit and Information

Th! Weather buoys collect all kinds of weather data (wind speed, air pressure, etc.) to include the ocean and air temperatures.

Weather Balloon

Land Weather Station

Launching a Weather Balloon at Mammoth Hot Springs; Yellowstone National Park, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Steinsplitter, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo Credit and Information

*Learn more

Satellite

Weather Buoy

ESA–J. Huart, CC BY-SA IGO 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons

A NOAA National Data Buoy Center buoy off the coast of Newport, Oregon. Buoys such as this one collect a wide variety of atmospheric and ocean data. Credit: NOAA

Click on the instrument that is used to measure the temperature of water and the air temperature just above the water.

Photo credit and information

Match the tools scientists use to collect temperature data with their name.

Drag the images of technology used to measure the Earth's surface temperatures so they are labeled correctly.

A message will appear when all images are in the correct place.

Land Weather Stations

Sea Levels (mm)

Temperature Buoys

Weather Balloons

Image Credits

Satellites

reset

Way to go! Click here.

Hint and Image Credits

Click on the buoy.

Match the tools scientists use to collect temperature data with their name.

Drag the images of technology used to measure the Earth's surface temperatures so they are labeled correctly.

A message will appear when all images are in the correct place.

Land Weather Stations

Sea Levels (mm)

Temperature Buoys

Weather Balloons

Image Credits

Satellites

reset

Way to go! Click here.

Hint and Image Credits

Click on the buoy.

Earth’s surface continues to significantly warm, with recent global temperatures being the hottest in the past 2,000-plus years.

This graph was created at NASA to show how the temperature of the Earth has changed.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

The y-axis "Temperature Anomaly" values represent how much warmer or cooler Earth's surface was compared to the average temperature between 1951 and 1980.

Click on a part of the graph that represents a time when the surface temperature was cooler than the average between 1951 and 1980.

Earth’s surface continues to significantly warm, with recent global temperatures being the hottest in the past 2,000-plus years.

That's right. Any part of the graph that is below 0.0 oC represents a time that was cooler than the average temperature between 1951 and 1980.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

The y-axis "Temperature Anomaly" values represent how much warmer or cooler Earth's surface was compared to the average temperature between 1951 and 1980.

Click on a part of the graph that represents a time when the surface temperature was warmer than the average between 1951 and 1980.

The y-axis values represent how much warmer or cooler the Earth was compared to the average temperatures between 1951 and 1980.

That's right. Any part of the graph that is above 0.0 oC represents a time that was warmer than the average temperature between 1951 and 1980. Now let's get more specific.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Earth’s surface continues to significantly warm, with recent global temperatures being the hottest in the past 2,000-plus years.

This graph was created at NASA to show how the average surface temperature of the Earth has changed.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

The y-axis "Temperature Anomaly" values represent how much warmer or cooler Earth's surface was compared to the average temperature between 1951 and 1980.

Click on the point on the graph that represents the temperature anomaly in 1880.

Click here for a hint.

That's right. Any part of the graph that is above 0.0 oC represents a time that was warmer than the average temperature between 1951 and 1980. Now let's get more specific.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Earth’s surface continues to significantly warm, with recent global temperatures being the hottest in the past 2,000-plus years.

The blue arrow is pointing at the point that represents the temperature anomoly (how much warmer or cooler than the average) for the year 1880.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

The y-axis "Temperature Anomaly" values represent how much warmer or cooler Earth's surface was compared to the average temperature between 1951 and 1980.

Click on the point on the graph that represents the temperature anomaly in 1880.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Earth’s surface continues to significantly warm, with recent global temperatures being the hottest in the past 2,000-plus years.

Nice work! You found the point that respresents how much cooler the Earth was in 1880 than the average temperature between 1951 and 1980.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

The y-axis "Temperature Anomaly" values represent how much warmer or cooler Earth's surface was compared to the average temperature between 1951 and 1980.

Now click on the point on the graph that shows the temperature anomaly in 2020.

Click here for a hint.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Earth’s surface continues to significantly warm, with recent global temperatures being the hottest in the past 2,000-plus years.

The blue arrow is pointing at the point that represents the temperature anomoly (how much warmer or cooler than the average) for the year 2020.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

The y-axis "Temperature Anomaly" values represent how much warmer or cooler Earth's surface was compared to the average temperature between 1951 and 1980.

Click on the point on the graph that shows the temperature anomaly in 2020.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Earth’s surface continues to significantly warm, with recent global temperatures being the hottest in the past 2,000-plus years.

You got it. As you can see, the most recent years (around 2020) are the warmest.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

  • 1 degree Celsius
  • 2 degrees Celsius
  • 0.5 degrees Celsius
  • 10 degrees Celsius
  • increased
  • decreased
  • not changed
Since 1880, the average temperature of the Earth has increas by about . The most recent years have been the warmest.
  • warmest
  • coolest
Continue
Check

Not quite. Try again.

What is the trend of this graph?

Why is the Earth's surface warming up so quickly?

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Woah! Compared to last 2000 years, the Earth is warming up really fast these days!

Global Temperature in the Common Era

(data from analyzing rocks, ice cores, tree rings, fossils, lake and sea sediments)

Graphic credit and information

Click on the part of the graph that shows a sharp increase in temperature.

Efbrazil, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Efbrazil, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

What is the trend of this graph?

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Era_Temperature.svg

Why is the Earth's surface warming up so quickly?

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Global Temperature in the Common Era

Woah! When we look at data from the last 2000 years, it's clear that the Earth is warming really fast lately!

(data from analyzing rocks, ice cores, tree rings, fossils, lake and sea sediments)

Graphic credit and information

Click on the part of the graph that shows a sharp increase in temperature.

Efbrazil, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Efbrazil, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

What is the trend of this graph?

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Era_Temperature.svg

An increase in temperature of 1 degree Celsius does NOT mean that everywhere on Earth got warmer by 1 degree, but rather the average of all the temperature increases throughout the Earth's surface is 1 degree C.

NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio, Key and Title by uploader (Eric Fisk), CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Click on the part of the map that shows a part of Earth that is warming the most.

By RCraig09 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=102770581

Both the north and south poles are warming faster than the rest of the Earth.

NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio, Key and Title by uploader (Eric Fisk), CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Click on the part of the world that you live.

By RCraig09 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=102770581

Earth’s surface continues to significantly warm, with recent global temperatures being the hottest in the past 2,000-plus years.

We know that Earth's surface has warmed, on average, by about 1.0oC since 1880. But, the big question is...

What will happen to Earth's surface temperature during the NEXT 100 years?

This image shows the concept used in climate models. Each of the thousands of 3-dimensional grid cells can be represented by mathematical equations that describe the materials in it and the way energy moves through it. The advanced equations are based on the fundamental laws of physics, fluid motion, and chemistry. To "run" a model, scientists specify the climate forcing (for instance, setting variables to represent the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere) and have powerful computers solve the equations in each cell. Results from each grid cell are passed to neighboring cells, and the equations are solved again. Repeating the process through many time steps represents the passage of time. Image source: NOAA.

Click on the sun.

Earth’s surface continues to significantly warm, with recent global temperatures being the hottest in the past 2,000-plus years.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how-artificial-intelligence-is-fast-becoming-a-key-tool-for-climate-science

Scientists use supercomputers to create 3-D models that simulate Earth's future climate.

This image shows the concept used in climate models. Each of the thousands of 3-dimensional grid cells can be represented by mathematical equations that describe the materials in it and the way energy moves through it. The advanced equations are based on the fundamental laws of physics, fluid motion, and chemistry. To "run" a model, scientists specify the climate forcing (for instance, setting variables to represent the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere) and have powerful computers solve the equations in each cell. Results from each grid cell are passed to neighboring cells, and the equations are solved again. Repeating the process through many time steps represents the passage of time. Image source: NOAA.

https://www.climate.gov/media/10042 Credit: NOAA

These models help scientists predict how Earth's climate will change depending on the rate that humans release greenhouse gases (like CO2) into the atmosphere.

Graphic credit and information

Click on the graph.

Earth’s surface continues to significantly warm, with recent global temperatures being the hottest in the past 2,000-plus years.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/media/234801/sea-level-rise-ar5.jpg

Worst Case Scenario

Emissions continue to rise throughout the 21st century

Best Case Scenario

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions start declining by 2020 and go to zero by 2100.

Carbon Brief

Graphic credit and information

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

That's right, the surface of the Earth has increased by about 1 oC since 1910.

Scientists everywhere agree that the Earth's surface will continue to significantly warm.

Worst Case Scenario

Emissions continue to rise throughout the 21st century

Best Case Scenario

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions start declining by 2020 and go to zero by 2100.

Graphic credit and information

Click on the point in the graph that corresponds to the best case scenario temperature increase for the year 2101.

What is the trend of this graph?

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Scientists at NASA across the world continue to collect and analyze temperature data and agree that the Earth's surface will continue to significantly warm.

Nice! You found the point on the graph that shows what the models predict for temperature change in 2101 if we can eliminate CO2 emissions.

Worst Case Scenario

Emissions continue to rise throughout the 21st century

Best Case Scenario

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions start declining by 2020 and go to zero by 2100.

Graphic credit and information

Now click on the point in the graph that corresponds to the expected temperature increase for the year 2101 if global CO2 emissions continue to rise.

What is the trend of this graph?

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Scientists at NASA across the world continue to collect and analyze temperature data and agree that the Earth's surface will continue to significantly warm.

Good work! You found the point on the graph that shows what the models predict for temperature change in 2101 if CO2 emissions continue to rise.

Is it a big deal if the Earth is warmer?

Worst Case Scenario

Emissions continue to rise throughout the 21st century

Best Case Scenario

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions start declining by 2020 and go to zero by 2100.

Graphic credit and information

Click on the person's excellent question.

What is the trend of this graph?

Now click on the point in the graph that corresponds to the expected temperature increase for the year 2101 if global CO2 emissions continue to increase.

Even a very small temperature change has big consequences. Hot places get hotter. Dry places get drier. Wet places get more rain and flooding. Glaciers and ice sheets melt faster and raise sea levels, causing more floods. Warmer oceans have more energy that is released during storms, making storms more extreme. Coral reefs and other sensitive ecosystems suffer the loss of many key species.

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

Scientists at NASA across the world continue to collect and analyze temperature data and agree that the Earth's surface will continue to significantly warm.

https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a030000/a031100/a031168/Slide11_4K_flood960_print.jpg

Watch this video to learn about the likely consequences if the Earth continues warming.

hot

Enter the code word provided at the end of the video.

lowercase letters only

Continue

Continue

What is the trend of this graph?

Now click on the point in the graph that corresponds to the expected temperature increase for the year 2101 if global CO2 emissions continue to increase.

Just a 1 oC increase in the Earth's temperature will lead to more news stories like the ones shown on the cell phones. Match each news story to the correct label to get a message.
WATER SHORTAGES!!!

Monday Tuesday Wednesay Thursday Friday

High 105 oF/ 41 oC

High 108 oF/ 42 oC

High 112 oF/ 44 oC

High 116 oF/ 47 oC

High 110 oF/ 43 oC

HEAT WARNING
Loss of Ice Causes Polar Bear Starvation
Downtown is Under 5 Feet of Water
Great Barrier Reef Suffers 90% Coral Bleaching
Forest Fires Flare Up as Temps SOAR

Ecosystems Threatened

More Forest Fires

More Extreme Heat Waves

Rising Sea Levels + More Flooding

Droughts

Loss of Species

Way to go! Click here.

reset

Hint and Image Credits

Most land regions will see more hot days, especially in the tropics. At 1.5 degrees Celsius warming, about 14 percent of Earth’s population will be exposed to severe heatwaves at least once every five years, while at 2 degrees warming that number jumps to 37 percent. Extreme heatwaves will become widespread at 1.5 degrees Celsius warming.

Just a 1 oC increase in the Earth's temperature will lead to more news stories like the ones shown on the cell phones. Match each news story to the correct label to get a message.
WATER SHORTAGES!!!

Monday Tuesday Wednesay Thursday Friday

High 105 oF/ 41 oC

High 108 oF/ 42 oC

High 112 oF/ 44 oC

High 116 oF/ 47 oC

High 110 oF/ 43 oC

HEAT WARNING
Loss of Ice Causes Polar Bear Starvation
Downtown is Under 5 Feet of Water
Great Barrier Reef Suffers 90% Coral Bleaching
Forest Fires Flare Up as Temps SOAR

Ecosystems Threatened

More Forest Fires

More Extreme Heat Waves

Rising Sea Levels + More Flooding

Droughts

Loss of Species

Way to go! Click here.

reset

Hint and Image Credits

Most land regions will see more hot days, especially in the tropics. At 1.5 degrees Celsius warming, about 14 percent of Earth’s population will be exposed to severe heatwaves at least once every five years, while at 2 degrees warming that number jumps to 37 percent. Extreme heatwaves will become widespread at 1.5 degrees Celsius warming.

Return to map.

You successfully completed the challenge! Maybe one day you'll be a scientist that helps us understand the changes in Earth's temperature. The more we know, the better prepared we are to help solve the biggest challenges of the future.

This interactive is brought to you by Virtual Science Teachers. Copyright Virtual Science Teachers 2022

Continue

Return to map.

Most land regions will see more hot days, especially in the tropics. At 1.5 degrees Celsius warming, about 14 percent of Earth’s population will be exposed to severe heatwaves at least once every five years, while at 2 degrees warming that number jumps to 37 percent. Extreme heatwaves will become widespread at 1.5 degrees Celsius warming.

FLOOD ALERT

An increase of just 1 degree Celsius warmer than today's averages will result in...

heavier rainfall, more extreme hurricanes and cyclones and far more flooding.

More of Earth’s land areas will also be affected by flooding and increased runoff. Heavy rainfall from tropical cyclones is projected to be higher.

Most land regions will see more hot days, especially in the tropics. At 1.5 degrees Celsius warming, about 14 percent of Earth’s population will be exposed to severe heatwaves at least once every five years, while at 2 degrees warming that number jumps to 37 percent. Extreme heatwaves will become widespread at 1.5 degrees Celsius warming.

WATER SHORTAGES!!!

An increase of just 1 degree Celsius warmer than today's averages will result in...

hundreds of millions of people will be affected by water scarcity.

More of Earth’s land areas will also be affected by flooding and increased runoff. Heavy rainfall from tropical cyclones is projected to be higher.

Most land regions will see more hot days, especially in the tropics. At 1.5 degrees Celsius warming, about 14 percent of Earth’s population will be exposed to severe heatwaves at least once every five years, while at 2 degrees warming that number jumps to 37 percent. Extreme heatwaves will become widespread at 1.5 degrees Celsius warming.

News Alert! More species are gone forever.

An increase of just 1 degree Celsius warmer than today's averages will result in...

18% of insects, 16% of plants, and 8% of vertebrates will become extinct.

More of Earth’s land areas will also be affected by flooding and increased runoff. Heavy rainfall from tropical cyclones is projected to be higher.

Most land regions will see more hot days, especially in the tropics. At 1.5 degrees Celsius warming, about 14 percent of Earth’s population will be exposed to severe heatwaves at least once every five years, while at 2 degrees warming that number jumps to 37 percent. Extreme heatwaves will become widespread at 1.5 degrees Celsius warming.

An increase of just 1 degree Celsius warmer than today's averages will result in...

More species are gone forever.

the loss of forests due to increased forest fires and deforestation.

More of Earth’s land areas will also be affected by flooding and increased runoff. Heavy rainfall from tropical cyclones is projected to be higher.

Most land regions will see more hot days, especially in the tropics. At 1.5 degrees Celsius warming, about 14 percent of Earth’s population will be exposed to severe heatwaves at least once every five years, while at 2 degrees warming that number jumps to 37 percent. Extreme heatwaves will become widespread at 1.5 degrees Celsius warming.

Most land regions will see more hot days, especially in the tropics. At 1.5 degrees Celsius warming, about 14 percent of Earth’s population will be exposed to severe heatwaves at least once every five years, while at 2 degrees warming that number jumps to 37 percent. Extreme heatwaves will become widespread at 1.5 degrees Celsius warming.

More of Earth’s land areas will also be affected by flooding and increased runoff. Heavy rainfall from tropical cyclones is projected to be higher.

Arctic land regions will see cold extremes warm by as much as 5.5 degrees Celsius (9.9 degrees Fahrenheit) at 1.5 degrees Celsius warming or less, while at warming of 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius, cold extremes will be up to 8 degrees Celsius (14.4 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer. Cold spells will also be shorter.

About 61 million more people in Earth’s urban areas would be exposed to severe drought in a 2-degree Celsius warmer world than at 1.5 degrees warming.

Between 184 and 270 million fewer people are projected to be exposed to increases in water scarcity in 2050 at about 1.5 degrees Celsius warming than at 2 degrees warming. Risks for groundwater depletion are projected to be greater at the higher temperature threshold as well.

NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio, Key and Title by uploader (Eric Fisk), CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

By RCraig09 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=102770581