--- title: "One Particular Spot on Earth Is Getting Colder Instead of Hotter" description: "Cold Shoulder Overall, the Earth is getting warmer at an ominous rate — which, according to an overwhelming majority of climate scientists, is probably a result of greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why it’s so interesting, as Mashable points out in a fascinating new story, that one spot in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean appears […]" date: "2020-07-02" modified: "2020-07-14" authors: - name: "Jon Christian" job_title: "Executive Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jonc" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/spot-getting-colder" categories: - "Climate Change" - "Environment" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "climate change" - "global warming" - "science" - "the digest" --- # One Particular Spot on Earth Is Getting Colder Instead of Hotter ![As Mashable points out in a fascinating new story, one spot in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean appears to be getting colder each year instead of hotter.]() *\Image: Futurism\* ## Cold Shoulder Overall, the Earth is [getting warmer at an ominous rate]() — which, according to an [overwhelming majority of climate scientists](), is probably a result of greenhouse gas emissions. That's why it's so interesting, as *Mashable* points out in a [fascinating new story](), that one spot in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean appears to be getting colder each year. ## The Blob A [new paper]() in the journal *Nature Climate Change* explores possible reasons for the cold spot, which is known as the "warming hole" or, charmingly, "the blob." The researchers' conclusion is that the blob is probably caused by a number of complex factors — but mainly changing ocean currents and thick clouds that congregate over it. ## Short Circuit Counterintuitively, the researchers say, the same greenhouse effect that's warming most of the Earth is likely causing the complex phenomena that are causing the blob to get colder. "Anthropogenic climate change changes the circuitry of the climate system," said Kristopher Karnauskas, an oceanographer at the University of Colorado Boulder who had no role in the research. "\[The cold blob\] is an interesting manifestation of the peril we're bringing on." **READ MORE:** [Why Earth has a stubborn spot that's cooling]() \[*Mashable*\] **More on climate change:** [*Climate Change Threatens 60 Percent of the World’s Fish Species*]() ## Author I'm responsible for editing, assigning, and scouting at Futurism, as well as occasionally writing for the site. That work involves keeping an eye on a wide range of narratives and issues, but over the past few years I've become increasingly interested in how AI is shaping the future of media, the web, and information itself. My day-to-day often involves collaborating on reporting and commentary projects bylined by my colleagues, but I try to find time to do my own reporting as well; stories I've broken for Futurism have been cited by publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Wired, Ars Technica, New York Magazine, the Columbia Journalism Review, Bloomberg, and more. I grew up in Southern Vermont and attended Vanderbilt University. Prior to Futurism, I contributed to outlets including the Boston Globe, Vice, Wired, Slate, the Atlantic, the Outline, Ars Technica and more, and did stints in farming and food service. I currently live in Brooklyn, New York, and in my free time I enjoy pinball, word games, cycling, running, and music production. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()