This May was the second-hottest on record across the world, scientists have confirmed. Only May 2024 was warmer! From cities to ice-covered lands like Greenland, rising heat was felt everywhere.Experts from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service say the Earth’s average temperature last month was 1.4°C higher than it was during the 1850–1900 period — before humans started using machines that burn coal, oil, and gas on a massive scale. That’s when climate change really began.Why is this important? Because a world that’s just 1.5°C warmer sees more floods, heatwaves, droughts, and melting ice. For nearly two years, the planet’s temperature kept crossing this danger level again and again. And while May saw a tiny drop, scientists say it won’t last long.We expect temperatures to cross 1.5°C again soon, warned Carlo Buontempo, the director of Copernicus, adding that the planet is still heating up.One major reason is greenhouse gases — like carbon dioxide — released when we burn fossil fuels. These gases trap heat, making the planet warmer and weather more extreme.A separate study showed that recent heatwaves in Iceland and Greenland were made about 3°C hotter because of climate change caused by humans. That extra heat melted more of Greenland’s huge ice sheet — a worrying sign.Even cold countries, once thought safe from extreme heat, are feeling the effects.These are temperatures we wouldn’t expect in places like Greenland, according to scientist Sarah Kew.World leaders had agreed under the Paris Climate Agreement to keep the long-term rise in temperatures under 1.5°C to protect the planet. But many experts now say we’re getting dangerously close — and must act faster to cut pollution and switch to cleaner energy. The Sun is not yellow!Even though it looks yellow from Earth, the Sun actually gives off white light. Earth’s atmosphere makes it appear yellow, orange or red at different times.It takes 8 minutes for sunlight to reach usThe sunlight you feel on your face actually left the Sun 8 minutes ago. It travels 150 million km to get here!Your body is a cool machineWhen you sweat, your body cools itself down — one drop at a time. That’s how we survive summer heat.Sun doesn’t rise in the same place every dayThe Sun’s rising and setting points shift throughout the year. That’s what gives us changing seasons!
