We actually get most our warmth from the radiation leaking from Earths core, and we need that blanket of green house gasses to keep the heat. You are right though, that drastic variations are due to changes in the sun. Just wanted to point out that the sun alone is not keeping the planet warm enough for us to inhabit. If our core ever solidified we are all SOL.
The geothermal heat flux from the Earth's interior is estimated to be 47 terawatts[9] and split approximately equally between radiogenic heat and heat leftover from the Earth's formation. This comes to 0.087 watt/square metre, which represents only 0.027% of Earth's total energy budget at the surface, which is dominated by 173,000 terawatts of incoming solar radiation.
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carlip ago
of course its the fucking sun
EdSnowden ago
Seriously. The one and only source of energy for our entire planet determines the global temperature? Wow, amazing.
Ina_Pickle ago
We actually get most our warmth from the radiation leaking from Earths core, and we need that blanket of green house gasses to keep the heat. You are right though, that drastic variations are due to changes in the sun. Just wanted to point out that the sun alone is not keeping the planet warm enough for us to inhabit. If our core ever solidified we are all SOL.
matthew-- ago
I don't doubt that we'd be fucked if the core ever solidfied, but this doesn't make sense to me:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_energy_budget#Earth's_internal_heat_and_other_small_effects
Ina_Pickle ago
Using Wikipedia as a source is your problem.
Irish_Amnesia ago
Saying "Using Wikipedia as a source is your problem." and not supporting any counter is your problem. Fuck off back to aol im chat rooms ya flat turd.
Ina_Pickle ago
Try taking some low level university science classes and get back to me, Reddit fag. Wikipedia is Never a source.