Horror! According to NASA, the Earth is dying.

Have you ever adjusted your screen brightness to conserve battery life? A similar process is happening to our planet—unconsciously. According to a new NASA study, the Earth is reflecting less sunlight, meaning it’s retaining more heat. And it’s not because of the eclipse, but rather due to climate change, which has been accumulating for decades.

What have scientists discovered?

A team of researchers led by Dr. Norman Loeb analyzed 20 years of satellite data. The conclusion is clear: the planet is becoming increasingly “darker” from space. Since the early 2000s, both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres have begun reflecting less radiation and absorbing more energy.

In numbers, it looks like this:

Each decadal cycle, the Earth retains an additional 0.83 W/m² of heat.

The warming is especially noticeable in the Northern Hemisphere, where the figure is higher by another 0.34 W/m². On a global level, this can be compared to a subtle but steady increase in the planet’s “thermostat.”

Why is this happening?

Melting ice: less snow and ice in the Arctic → a dark surface attracts more heat.

Cleaner air means fewer clouds: a reduction in aerosols reduces the formation of cloud cover, which previously reflected light.

Catastrophes and eruptions, for example, the Hunga Tonga volcano, produced a short-term effect of increased reflectivity, but it was insufficient.

Consequences for humanity

Oceans and clouds used to act as a “buffer” and distribute energy. Now they are failing, and excess heat is accumulating. This will lead to:

more frequent extreme heat waves,

sudden weather changes,

an increased risk of climate disasters.

What does this mean?

Scientists emphasize: there is no need to panic, but the problem cannot be ignored. Earth’s “fading” is a signal of long-term changes that must be taken into account in climate models. The system is losing its balance between the hemispheres, and it’s unclear whether it will be able to regain equilibrium.

Every tenth of a degree of temperature increase matters. And every action that slows global warming contributes to our shared future.

This isn’t science fiction, but a reality we are creating right now. And it’s up to us to determine how this story unfolds.