This animation shows the Earth rotating on its axis, the Moon rotating on its axis, the Sun rotating on its own, and both the Earth and Moon moving around the Sun, with the Moon also orbiting the Earth. | The Brain Maze

Our planet is getting warmer. Every year, NASA and NOAA calculate the average surface temperature around the globe. These annual temperature data make up the global temperature record – and it’s how scientists know that the planet is warming. Red spirals in this visualization indicate years with warmer-than-average temperatures. The visualization “turns red” after 1975, showing that most of Earth’s warming has occurred in the last several decades. Overall, the average global temperature on Earth