Discover How the First Signs of Climate Change Were Detected 130 Years Ago

Imagine if scientists in the 19th century had the technology we have today. They might have spotted the early signs of climate change much earlier. A recent study by Earth and atmospheric scientists suggests that by 1885, we could have detected human impacts on the climate due to activities like burning coal and wood. That’s significant, considering this was just before the invention of the first fossil fuel-powered cars.

Back then, scientists were just beginning to understand carbon dioxide and its heat-trapping abilities. These gasses started rising during the Industrial Revolution. By the 1970s, systematic studies began to uncover our role in climate change.

In their study, researchers imagined that if scientists had the right tools by 1860—like modern satellite sensors—they could have monitored global atmospheric changes accurately. They used a method to separate human effects from natural variations in climate.

Interestingly, climate change would have initially shown up as stratospheric cooling. This cooling occurs because greenhouse gases trap heat in the lower atmosphere while causing other layers, like the stratosphere, to release heat back into space. The result? A warmer troposphere and a cooler stratosphere.

Ozone depletion also plays a part, making the stratosphere less capable of absorbing heat. Consequently, even though the Earth warms near the surface, the stratosphere cools.

Researchers found that by 1885, the cooling in the mid- to upper stratosphere caused by increased carbon dioxide would have been noticeable. Even with limited measuring capabilities, it would have been possible to see this cooling trend by 1894.

This brings us to an unsettling truth: while we now have a clearer view of climate change, we’re still grappling with our fossil fuel dependency. A recent survey from the Pew Research Center shows that public concern about climate change has risen sharply in the last decade, but concrete actions to cut fossil fuel use remain slow. We still struggle with the habits that contribute to climate issues.

The authors of the study warn that we are on the brink of dangerous climate interference. Choices we make now will shape our future. This research, published in PNAS, emphasizes the urgency of following sustainable paths to mitigate climate change impacts.

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