How Climate Change /Actually/ Works...in 4 Minutes

I totally get and agree with the instinct to simplify by saying "It's like a greenhouse" or "a heat-trapping blanket" but, like, what's actually going on?

It's not that complicated! More energy is coming in than is going out because of WIGGLES.

And yes, I'm talking about this because it feels like maybe MAYBE the US will have a climate bill that will actually, measurably reduce emissions on a fairly tight time scale which is massive.

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[hankdmoose]

One important missing bit here: The solid bits of Earth absorb the visible light, and heat up (why it warms way up during the day). They then radiate that heat out in the IR (why everything cools down at night), which is absorbed by the carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor in the air instead of escaping out to space. That's where the more energy in than out comes from. The Earth is wearing a blanket, and we keep adding more and more blankets.

[chocolateer]

I’m consistently impressed by how well you can explain complex topics clearly in such short time

[anthonynorman]

If only, scientifically literate people agreeing something exists was enough for something to politically _exist._

[louismyers]

It happens in 4 minutes? That's scary

[agerardi]

The black t shirt metaphor for climate change is the first metaphor that has allowed me to fully and completely grasp the concept of what’s going on.

[ella]

"absorb, reflect, or let pass through/ that's basically the only three things material can do"
please include this in a new science-y song. it just flows so well

[doommustard]

I think we as a species are very good at solving problems given two things:
1) we agree that it's a problem
2) we agree that it's worth solving

I think we spend so much of our energy focusing on the minority of people who don't think that its real we end up completely ignoring the quiet majority of people who believe that it's inevitable and therefore not worth the effort to solve.

[ShawnBird]

Great explanation!
Sometimes I think the four minute limit is too restrictive, but it can help make really concise, informative videos.

[connierobinson]

I’m doing my PhD in physical chemistry and I love hearing you communicate science — it helps me set my barometer of which details are generally understandable and which are not.
Do I have a lot of brain crack about science communication? Yes why do you ask 😬

[DoctorandtheDoll]

"Absorb, reflect, or let pass through:
Those are the things a material can do"

Gonna use this to teach my kids how light works lol.

[SylviaRustyFae]

2:01 I feel the explanation works better if you say "transfers its jiggle" rather than its heat. The jiggle is what causes what we perceive as heat after all, and it makes so much more intuitive sense that a jiggling object hittin another object that jiggles less is likely to cause the second object to jiggle more.

[Martina-bgoi]

My molecules don't jiggle jiggle, they...turn light into kinetic energy?

[Aabil]

'Wiggles' should become standard terminology for climate scientists.

[MintyUnicorns]

I just called my senators to urge them to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act (that includes many climate provisions) and I was freaking out about the phone calls but I did it!!!

Climate change is such an important issue. I've only been seriously concerned about it since 2018 or so, and I can't imagine how frustrated people like you, Hank, who have been involved in the climate fight for so long, must be with all of the governmental inaction. Your videos on climate change help me to feel more hopeful for the future. Thank you.

[michaelaldam]

Great video!

Alas, one small correction: there is a major difference between convection and conduction. Conduction, which occurs in all states of matter, is when how molecules hit colder ones, thus transferring energy. In convection, the hot molecules move themselves towards colder areas. This can happen only manily when molecules can move enough, thus only in fluids which are not too viscous, and is aided by gravit, as hot fluids are generally less dense.

[Lofcutus]

Those were excellent references for reflecting specific wavelengths of light. I reread Pratchett regularly, just blindly grab one and read it all the way through.

[rev.rachel]

As an ex-aspiring-particle-physicist, this was the most fun explanation of climate change to listen to that I’ve encountered so far.

Also yes I too am still not over the idea that heat comes from being jiggly in a way we can’t feel directly.

[areeyedee]

Me myself I love my limited edition corvette Z06 C7 Racing Edition, but last year I drove it on average 4 days a week. Now I drive it only once a week and ride my bike. Now let’s imagine everyone cut their driving by 75% WOW what a huge difference that would make, immediately. We need to make a change and make it now.

[matthewshields]

What people don't seem to understand is it will get worse before it gets better. Humans have spent hundreds of years industrializing the planet (and thousands of years changing the planet before that) and it will take time to balance out our impacts. As we have adapted the world to are needs with cities, agriculture and infrastructure specialized species unable to cope with the changes we've made may go extinct and climate patterns with become more extreme and dangerous but eventually, with the effort of multiple generations, our environments will change to coexist with a natural world, generalist species will adapt and diversify, and we'll stabilize the climate.

[Trploid]

Small correction: When you are not in direct sunlight radiation still forms a very significant part of the heat you feel. In fact, in building physics it's often said that 55% of your subjective warmth experience indoors comes from radiation from walls, floor and ceiling, and only 45% from convection/conduction. A wood floor feels warmer, not because it looks that way but because it literally radiates more heat to you. Remember that every object in the universe is constantly radiating heat.