Study Uses Ancient Tree Rings to Prove Record-Breaking Heat

  • 2023 was the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere in over 2,000 years
  • Tree rings provide temperature data going back to Year 1
  • 25 of the last 28 years have been hotter than the early medieval period (246 AD)
  • Summer temperatures were 2.1°F (1.2°C) warmer than 246 AD
  • Global temperature records set in 2023 were 0.5°C higher than previous record in September and 0.4°C higher in October
  • Pre-industrial period may have been cooler than previously thought due to thermometer limitations

A new study published in Nature reveals that the summer of 2023 was the hottest in the Northern Hemisphere since A.D. 1, using tree ring data from over 10,000 trees across 15 sites. The findings show that 25 out of the last 28 years have been hotter than the early medieval period (246 AD). The study’s lead author, Jan Esper, states that the summer temperatures were 2.1°F (1.2°C) warmer than those in 246 AD. Global temperature records set in 2023 were 0.5°C higher in September and 0.4°C higher in October compared to previous records. The research suggests that the pre-industrial period may have been cooler than previously thought due to limitations of thermometer data. Climate scientist Zeke Hausfather warns of potential future temperature spikes within the next 10 to 15 years.

Factuality Level: 7
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate and objective information about the study’s findings regarding the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere in over 2,000 years based on tree ring data. It also includes expert opinions from various climate scientists to provide context and perspective. However, it does contain some sensationalist language such as ‘era of global boiling’ which may not be entirely accurate.
Noise Level: 4
Noise Justification: The article provides some relevant information about the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere in over 2000 years based on tree ring data and discusses the potential impact of human-caused climate change. However, it also includes some irrelevant details such as mentioning Paris Plages and a U.N. head’s warning about global boiling, which do not contribute to the main topic.
Key People: Jan Esper (lead author, climate geographer at the Gutenberg Research College in Germany), Max Torbenson (study co-author), Michael Mann (University of Pennsylvania climate scientist), Zeke Hausfather (Berkeley Earth climate scientist)

Financial Relevance: No
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere in over 2,000 years and its impact on climate change, but it does not directly pertain to financial topics or impact financial markets or companies. It focuses on scientific research and historical temperature data.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no extreme event mentioned in the article. It primarily discusses the record-breaking heat of the summer of 2023 and the methodology used to measure temperatures throughout history.·

Reported publicly: www.marketwatch.com