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CO2's Surprising Effect on the Upper Atmosphere

Published on June 22, 2026, 12:05 p.m.
CO2's Surprising Effect on the Upper Atmosphere

Topic: Research News

Scientists at Columbia University discovered how carbon dioxide (CO2) cools part of Earth's atmosphere while warming the planet below. This phenomenon is a clear signal of human-driven climate change.

The upper atmosphere has been cooling significantly for decades, which scientists have long recognized as one of the clearest signals of human-driven climate change. Now, researchers at Columbia University have finally uncovered the mechanism responsible for this unusual contrast. Their new study explains how CO2 interacts with different wavelengths of light in ways that cool the upper atmosphere while warming the planet below.

According to Robert Pincus, a research professor of ocean and climate physics,

Implications

Scientists at Columbia University discovered how carbon dioxide (CO2) cools part of Earth's atmosphere while warming the planet below. This phenomenon is a clear signal of human-driven climate change.


Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260513221759.htm

Journal Reference:

  1. Sean Cohen, Robert Pincus, Lorenzo M. Polvani. Stratospheric cooling and amplification of radiative forcing with rising carbon dioxide. Nature Geoscience, 2026; 19 (5): 507 DOI: 10.1038/s41561-026-01965-8

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