Given that incoming radiation from the Sun is one half of the equation that determines the temperature here on Earth, it makes great sense that changes in solar radiation would affect the temperature. And we know this to be the case; when many parts of the Earth experienced cooler temperatures during the 1600s and 1700s, [...]

One of the pitfalls for a layman studying the climate is to overestimate the importance of the present day. To me, the increase in temperatures over the last twenty years now seem very noticeable and very significant. Over the last few years, heatwaves have become more common here in the UK, and winters [...]

We’ve assembled a Dream Team this week - Pete’s dad is around for the first time in ages, as is Ivan. We should be in with a good chance of a second victory in four weeks, and if there are any cricket questions we’ll be laughing. Well, I’ll be groaning but Ivan will [...]

The temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere is determined by the balance between incoming and outgoing radiation. The ground absorbs sunlight, which warms it up, and it emits infrared radiation. The atmosphere is transparent to visible light, but absorbs strongly at many infrared wavelengths. Because radiation from the ground is absorbed, the atmosphere [...]

We’re back in the hotseat. When I say we, at first it looks horribly like it might just be me as my co-setters are nowhere to be seen at 9.05pm. I am frantically trying to think of twenty more questions when Oli turns up. Now we just need ten more, but luckily [...]

Buoyed by last week’s victory, we’re all keen for tonight’s quizzing action. Oli and Stu are fed up with me being late every week, so I tell them I will buy them both dinner if I get there even a second after 8.45pm. I arrive at 8.50, but luckily they are both later [...]

Having finished 2007 in ignominy, Oli, Stu and I are looking for a better start to 2008. My punctuality has slightly improved and I’m there by five past nine, but for some reason the quizmasters got the thing under way at bang on 9. I redeem myself by knowing that Amity Bay was [...]