The world in 2030s, 2040s and 2050s. (Based on scheduled events and predictions by experts) | Hashem Al-Ghaili

Our planet is getting warmer. Every year, NASA and NOAA calculate the average surface temperature around the globe. These annual temperature data make up the global temperature record – and it’s how scientists know that the planet is warming. Red spirals in this visualization indicate years with warmer-than-average temperatures. The visualization “turns red” after 1975, showing that most of Earth’s warming has occurred in the last several decades. Overall, the average global temperature on Earth