Related topics: climate change



Greenhouse gas

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Greenhouse gases are gases in an atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. Common greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. In our solar system, the atmospheres of Venus, Mars and Titan also contain gases that cause greenhouse effects. Greenhouse gases greatly affect the temperature of the Earth; without them, Earth's surface would be on average about 33°C (59°F) colder than at present.

Human activities since the start of the industrial era around 1750 have increased the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The 2007 assessment report compiled by the IPCC observed that "changes in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and aerosols, land cover and solar radiation alter the energy balance of the climate system", and concluded that "increases in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations is very likely to have caused most of the increases in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century".

For more information about Greenhouse gas, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with greenhouse gases


Japan launches 5th spy satellite (AP)

Japan launches 5th spy satellite

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Nov 28, 2009 | popularity 3.6 / 5 (9) | comments 3

(AP) -- Japan launched its fifth spy satellite into orbit Saturday in a bid to boost its ability to independently gather intelligence, the government said.





Search results for greenhouse gases


Intensive land management leaves Europe without carbon sinks

Intensive land management leaves Europe without carbon sinks

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Nov 23, 2009 | popularity 3.5 / 5 (8) | comments 0

A new calculation of Europe's greenhouse gas balance shows that emissions of methane and nitrous oxide tip the balance and eliminate Europe's terrestrial sink of greenhouse gases.


Reducing greenhouse gases may not be enough to slow climate change

Space & Earth / Environment

created Nov 11, 2009 | popularity 3.3 / 5 (11) | comments 6

Georgia Tech City and Regional Planning Professor Brian Stone publishes a paper in the December edition of Environmental Science and Technology that suggests policymakers need to address the influence of global deforestation ...


Obama to plead US case at global warming summit (AP)

Obama to plead US case at global warming summit

Space & Earth / Environment

created Nov 26, 2009 | popularity 1.7 / 5 (6) | comments 2

(AP) -- President Barack Obama will commit the United States to substantial cuts in greenhouse gas pollution over the next decade - despite resistance in Congress over higher costs - when he travels to a ...


Program automatically shuts down office PCs when not in use

Technology / Software

created Nov 06, 2009 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (3) | comments 0

NEC Corp. says it has developed the country's first software that automatically controls power consumption by personal computers in accordance with the patterns of its user's PC activity.


Studying Fertilizers to Cut Greenhouse Gases

Studying Fertilizers to Cut Greenhouse Gases

Biology / Ecology

created Nov 18, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have found that using alternative types of fertilizers can cut back on greenhouse gas emissions, at least in one part of the country. They are ...


Cutting greenhouse pollutants could directly save millions of lives worldwide

Space & Earth / Environment

created Nov 25, 2009 | popularity 2.1 / 5 (14) | comments 6

Tackling climate change by reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse emissions will have major direct health benefits in addition to reducing the risk of climate change, especially in low-income countries, according to ...


Record high temperatures far outpace record lows across US

Record high temperatures far outpace record lows across US (w/ Video)

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Nov 12, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (28) | comments 7

Spurred by a warming climate, daily record high temperatures occurred twice as often as record lows over the last decade across the continental United States, new research shows. The ratio of record highs ...


New research provides blueprint for molecular basis of global warming

New research provides blueprint for molecular basis of global warming

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Nov 17, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (4) | comments 3

A new study indicates that major chemicals most often cited as leading causes of climate change, such as carbon dioxide and methane, are outclassed in their warming potential by compounds receiving less attention.


Brazil: Deforestation sees biggest drop in 20 yrs (AP)

Brazil: Deforestation sees biggest drop in 20 yrs

Space & Earth / Environment

created Nov 12, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (7) | comments 1

(AP) -- Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon dropped nearly 46 percent from August 2008 to July 2009 - the biggest annual decline in two decades, the government said Thursday.


A Tale of Planetary Woe

A Tale of Planetary Woe (w/ Video)

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Nov 11, 2009 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (11) | comments 5

Once upon a time — roughly four billion years ago — Mars was warm and wet, much like Earth. Liquid water flowed on the Martian surface in long rivers that emptied into shallow seas. A thick atmosphere blanketed ...



List of search results for greenhouse gases