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SCIENCEThursday 26 November 2015

UN weather agency: It’s record hot out there this year

SETH BORENSTEIN In this May 31, 2015 file photo, an Indian man rests in front of an air cooler to cool himself on a sius, or 1.8 degrees Fahr-
AP Science Writer enheit, over pre-industrial
WASHINGTON (AP) — Be- hot summer day in Hyderabad, in the southern Indian state of Telangana. Associated Press times. That’s a symbolic
cause of man-made glob- milestone: International
al warming and a strong El climate change is not only were saying that 2015 likely NOAA’s chief climate leaders have set a goal of
Nino, Earth’s wild weather about temperature ... but would be the hottest. The monitor, Deke Arndt, said keeping global warming
this year is bursting the a significant impact of U.N. agency, NOAA, NASA on Tuesday. “Something within 2 degrees C, or 3.6 F,
annual heat record, the climate change is on ex- and Japan’s weather game-changing massive of pre-industrial times.
World Meteorological Or- treme events.” agency all say 2014 is the would have to happen for “There is urgency because
ganization announced on The report is not surpris- current record hot year it not to be a record.” we already have 1 degree
Wednesday. ing: Scientists at the U.S. with a global temperature Records go back to 1880. behind us and at the rate
The United Nations weath- National Oceanic and At- of 14.57 degrees Celsius, or Jarraud also said it is likely that the emissions are in-
er agency’s early report on mospheric Administration 58.23 degrees F. that the world has now creasing, there is not much
2015 says it is the hottest and elsewhere already “I would call it certain,” warmed by 1 degree Cel- flexibility,” Jarraud said.
year on record, surpassing “But it is still possible to do it,
last year’s record heat. It provided there is a strong
made the proclamation decision in Paris.” Gavin
without waiting for the end Schmidt, head of NASA’s
of the year because it has Goddard Institute for
been so extraordinarily hot Space Studies called the
and is forecast to stay that U.N. report a fair summary,
way. adding: “2015 is going to
The report comes the week be exceptional in many
before more than 100 ways.” The world is warm-
world leaders assemble in ing because of heat-trap-
Paris to try to negotiate an ping gases that come from
agreement to fight climate the burning of coal, oil and
change. gas. On top of that, El Nino,
“We have really broken re- a naturally occurring cli-
cords almost everywhere,” mate event that starts with
the agency’s secretary- warm water in the central
general, Michel Jarraud, and eastern equatorial Pa-
said at a press conference cific, makes the world even
in Geneva. “Remember warmer, scientists say.q

Reusable rocket: In a first,
booster returns safely to Earth

MALCOLM RITTER Amazon.com Inc. vehicle consists of a cap- In this photo provided by Blue Origin taken on Monday, Nov.
AP Science Writer Another private company, sule that is designed to
NEW YORK (AP) — A pri- SpaceX, has tried to land take people into space for 23, 2015, an unmanned Blue Origin booster rocket sits after
vate space company an- boosters upright on a barge suborbital flights someday,
nounced Tuesday that it in the ocean but so far has and a booster. In Monday’s landing in Van Horn, West Texas. Associated Press
had landed a rocket up- failed. It has recorded soft flight, the booster soared
right and gently enough to landings on the ground by about 62 miles high and re- ward toward reusability,” also reusable after return-
be used again, a milestone rockets that flew less than leased the capsule, which John M. Logsdon, profes- ing to Earth safely, they
in commercial aeronau- a mile high, an altitude far parachuted to the ground. sor emeritus at the George were far more expensive
tics. Reusing rockets, rath- lower than what the new After the separation, the Washington University’s than rockets, he noted.
er than discarding them, test achieved. Blue Origin booster began falling Space Policy Institute, said “The goal here is low-
would be a big step to- said the unmanned flight back to Earth. It slowed its in an interview. Although cost reusability,” Logsdon
ward making space flight took place Monday morn- descent by firing its engine, NASA space shuttles were said.q
less expensive. ing at its site in Van Horn starting at about 4,900 feet
The achievement pro- in West Texas. The secre- above ground. It was de-
duced “the rarest of tive company, based in scending at just 4.4 mph
beasts: a used rocket,” Jeff Kent, Washington, did not when it touched down at
Bezos, founder of the com- invite reporters to attend. the launch site, still stand-
pany Blue Origin, said in a Its first test flight happened ing up, the company said.
statement. He is the CEO of in April. Its New Shepard “It’s really a major step for-