Over the past two centuries the way we measure temperature has changed dramatically. This complicates matters for scientists putting together a long-term, consistent estimate of how global temperatures are changing. Analysis by Carbon Brief comparing raw global temperature records to the adjusted data finds that adjustments have relatively little impact on global temperatures, particularly over the past 50 years.

Note: In the video, an example is given of ship measurements using buckets being warmer than ocean measurements due to differences in air and ocean temperatures. In most cases, evaporative cooling during the period between when the bucket is filled and the temperature is measured will cause the water in the bucket to be colder than the original ocean temperature. Thus, on aggregate, bucket measurements are too cold, not too warm, and ocean temperatures pre-1940 are adjusted up to correct for these too-cold readings as mentioned later in the video.

Analysis by: Zeke Hausfather

Animation by: Rosamund Pearce

Voiceover: Jocelyn Timperley

Read more: https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-how-data-adjustments-affect-global-temperature-records

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Music credit: Into Infinity artists Unrecognisable Now, Naohito Uchiyama, Languis (CC BY-NC 3.0 US).

Carbon Brief – http://carbonbrief.org