Recent research has uncovered startling evidence that our planet has warmed more than previously estimated. Scientists have studied centuries-old sponges from the depths of the Caribbean, finding that global temperatures have surpassed the international goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C since pre-industrial times. By analyzing growth patterns in six long-lived sponges, researchers documented significant changes in water temperature, acidity, and atmospheric CO₂ levels, as reported in Nature Climate Change.
The findings indicate that by 2020, global temperatures had already reached 1.7°C above pre-industrial levels. This revelation helps explain the increase in extreme weather events—such as floods, storms, droughts, and heatwaves—that scientists have observed in recent years. Amos Winter, a paleo oceanographer at Indiana State University and co-author of the study, suggests that this additional warming underscores the accelerating pace of climate change, a theory previously proposed by former NASA scientist James Hansen.
\"This is not good news for global climate change as it implies more warming,\" commented Natalie Mahowald, a climate scientist at Cornell University who was not involved in the study. The research highlights the urgent need for more effective measures to combat climate change and mitigate its devastating impacts on our planet.
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Can sponges tell whether the planet has warmed more than we thought?
cgtn.com
