Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases contribute to global warming by reducing the escape of thermal energy into space. And NASA reports CO2 levels in Earth's atmosphere are the highest they've been in 800,000 years due to human activity.
However, some social media users are sharing a blog post that claims a 1917 paper by physicist Albert Einstein contradicts the idea that CO2 could drive climate change.
"Albert Einstein says no to CO2 radiative warming of the atmosphere," reads the title of the blog post, shared Feb. 20 on Facebook.
The article also spread on Facebook and Twitter in 2020 and 2021 before reemerging again last month.
However, the claim is false. The Einstein quote in the blog is compatible with modern climate science, according to experts. It addresses the effect of radiation on molecules – a factor in climate change – and is not a refutation of the fact that CO2 and other greenhouse gases drive climate change. Further, the blog mischaracterizes fundamental aspects of climate change science.
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"For 20 years, I have studied the history of climate science ... I know of no evidence whatsoever to support the Einstein claim," Naomi Oreskes, a professor of the history of science at Harvard University, told USA TODAY in an email.
USA TODAY reached out to social media users who shared...
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