National Geographic

King penguins near the Antarctic may be on a perilous path to extinction as a result of global warming, new research suggests.

Twenty-two African countries are experiencing their worst wet seasons in decades, and climate experts say that global warming is to blame. By Alexis Okeowo

At times he can seem like a biblical prophet, lamenting how our human failings are destroying the planet.

Sunspots alter the amount of energy Earth gets from the sun, but not enough to impact global climate change, a new study suggests. By Brian Handwerk

The latest villain on global warming's most-wanted list is all wet—and a little surprising. Water vapor, experts say, is the culprit behind Europe's rapidly rising temperatures. By Arianne Appel

The dog days of summer are here, and many people are feeling the heat. From California to southern Europe, heat records are breaking. By John Roach

Even if humans stop burning oil and coal tomorrow—not likely—we've already spewed enough greenhouse gases into the atmosphere to cause temperatures to warm and sea levels to rise for at least another century.

Global warming is a hot topic that shows little sign of cooling down. Earth's climate is changing, but just how it's happening, and our own role in the process, is less certain. By Brian Handwerk.