Science & ClimatePhys.org•1 min read•9/29/2026 (1h ago)

Overlooked lakes may be helping to keep the Northern Hemisphere cool

Overlooked lakes may be helping to keep the Northern Hemisphere cool
60-Word AI Digest

Lakes may cover only a small fraction of Earth's surface, but new research suggests they play a bigger role in regulating the planet's climate than previously recognized. By reflecting sunlight back into space when covered in snow and ice, lakes in the Northern Hemisphere have a stronger cooling effect than the surrounding land.

Key Takeaways

  • Lakes may cover only a small fraction of Earth's surface, but new research suggests they play a bigger role in regulating the planet's climate than previously recognized.
  • By reflecting sunlight back into space when covered in snow and ice, lakes in the Northern Hemisphere have a stronger cooling effect than the surrounding land.
  • Full details and original dispatch available below.

Lakes may cover only a small fraction of Earth's surface, but new research suggests they play a bigger role in regulating the planet's climate than previously recognized. By reflecting sunlight back into space when covered in snow and ice, lakes in the Northern Hemisphere have a stronger cooling effect than the surrounding land.

Original Publisher Attribution

This summary was curated from Phys.org.

Read Original on Phys.org
Overlooked lakes may be helping to keep the Northern Hemisphere cool — Loop60