An increase in the sun’s solar activity actually cools the earth, suggests a new research that will renew the debate over the science behind climate change. The research overturns traditional assumptions about the relationship between the sun and global warming. Focused on a three-year snapshot of time between 2004 and 2007, the findings will be seized upon by those who believe that man’s role in increases in the earth’s temperature has been overstated. As solar activity waned at the end of one of the 11-year cycles of the sun, the new data shows the amount of light and heat reaching the earth rose rather than fell, reports the Telegraph.
Its impact on melting polar ice caps, and drying up rivers could, therefore, have been exaggerated by conventional climate models during the period, according to the journal Nature.
Over the past century, overall solar activity has been increasing and should, therefore, cool the earth, yet global temperatures have increased. Joanna Haigh of the Imperial College London said: “These results are challenging what we thought we knew about the Sun’s effect on our climate.
“However, they only show us a snapshot of the sun’s activity and its behaviour over the three years of our study could be an anomaly. We cannot jump to any conclusion based on what we have found and we need to carry out further studies to explore the sun’s activity and the patterns that we have uncovered on longer timescales.”
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Lynch to host Saturday Night Live
London: She plays the vitriolic cheer-leading coach Sue Sylvester on the hit TV musical Glee and audiences will get to see more of Jane Lynch’s funny side when she hosts the cult show Saturday Night Live this week.
The 50-year-old actress is the latest in a long line of stars to host the show and is convinced the writers will do a great job parodying her tough Sue Sylvester role.
“I think they’re going to be careful. I’ve never seen them do anything where they’ve hit the nail on the head and it’s not interesting, so I hope it’ll work out well,” said Lynch.
“It was great news, and like any milestone in my life, it excited me but also scared me. But I’ll do it! I like being scared, actually. It pulls the best out of you,” said Lynch. —PTI