When much of the world was plunged into lockdown last year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, there was a lot of speculation that the lack of activity would benefit the environment. However, a new study shows that these changes to our lifestyles actually slightly warmed the planet for several months in 2020 in a counterintuitive finding that underscores the role of airborne particles in influencing temperatures.
In fact, the temperatures in some places of the eastern United States as well as China and Russia rose by as much as half to two-thirds of a degree, according to the study, which was published in Geophysical Research Letters. This was because there were fewer soot and sulfate particles in the air from car exhaust and burning coal. These particles normally have a temporary cooling effect on the atmosphere as they reflect the sun’s heat.
haha! wonder who thought up THAT BS....
Not satire, huh? So car exhaust contributes to keeping the Earth from overheating. Love it.