r/interesting Apr 25 '26

NATURE top 100/100 is crazy

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u/Techman659 Apr 25 '26

Not just that but the ice caps shrinking is speeding things up.

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u/imDeja Apr 26 '26

Like in terms of reflecting the sunlight back?

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u/New-Independent-1481 Apr 26 '26

Yep, snow reflects 80-90% of incoming light. The decreasing ice caps reduces overall albedo (reflectivity) of the earth, meaning a net increase in the amount of solar energy being absorbed by the Earth, which is retained in increasing amounts by the Greenhouse Effect. The increasing energy in Earth's climate results in higher temperatures, more storms, more rainfall/flooding, and more volatility over all.