University of Kwazulu-Natal

Climate Claims Fact Check Past Vs Present Warming Facts Ly Checker

Bonisiwe Shabane
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climate claims fact check past vs present warming facts ly checker

Please wait while we prepare your content. A Jan. 17 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows two distinctly different images of Earth. One, labeled "now," features blue oceans and green-toned continents. The other, labeled "4.5 billion years ago," has what appears to be ice sheet-covered continents and red and yellow oceans. "The environment of Earth has been continually changing for 4.5 BILLION YEARS!" reads some text surrounding the image.

"The idea that 'Climate Change' is new or is caused by Humans is nonsense." The post was shared more than 700 times in less than two weeks. More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page Earth's climate has changed throughout history for numerous reasons, but an abundance of evidence shows modern climate change is driven by human behavior. There is no evidence the post's depiction of ancient Earth is accurate. It starts with a whisper—rising seas nibbling away at coastlines, warmer winters replacing the cold snaps of old, forests catching fire in places that once stood serene and damp.

Somewhere, a polar bear drifts on a dwindling ice floe. Elsewhere, a farmer stares at the cracked, parched earth that once yielded life. And everywhere, people are asking: Is this real? Is it natural? Is it too late? Global warming.

For decades, those two words have hovered in the background of public discourse, growing louder with each passing year. Yet for every scientist shouting the alarm, there’s a social media post casting doubt. Climate change is real, they say. No, it’s a hoax. It’s human-caused. No, it’s natural.

The confusion is not surprising. When fear, politics, and profit collide, the truth often gets buried. But today, we dig it out. Not with shouting, but with clarity. Not with fear, but with facts. This is a journey through science and storytelling, separating myth from reality, to help you understand what global warming really is—and why the truth matters now more than ever.

The story of global warming is ancient, stretching back far before the Industrial Revolution. Our planet’s climate has never been static. It has swung from ice ages to tropical epochs over millions of years, driven by natural factors like volcanic activity, solar radiation, and changes in Earth’s orbit. But something different began in the late 18th century. Humanity discovered coal, then oil, then gas. We built engines, powered factories, lit up cities, and transformed the world.

And in doing so, we began to alter the chemistry of our atmosphere in ways nature never had. In the last 20 years, we’ve seen an unprecedented increase in extreme weather events. How do we know this? The data proves it. Until 2005, there were less than 5 billion dollar weather events per year in the US. Now, the US averages 23 per year (NOAA).

This is because human-caused climate change warms the air and oceans. Warmer air holds more moisture, and warmer oceans provide more energy—fueling the production of more frequent and intense weather extremes like tornados, tropical cyclones, heat waves, and polar vortex disruptions. The past ten years 2015-2024 are the ten warmest years on record (WMO). That’s pretty unbelievable. Better believe it, though.

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Please Wait While We Prepare Your Content. A Jan. 17

Please wait while we prepare your content. A Jan. 17 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows two distinctly different images of Earth. One, labeled "now," features blue oceans and green-toned continents. The other, labeled "4.5 billion years ago," has what appears to be ice sheet-covered continents and red and yellow oceans. "The environment of Earth has been continually changing for 4.5 B...

"The Idea That 'Climate Change' Is New Or Is Caused

"The idea that 'Climate Change' is new or is caused by Humans is nonsense." The post was shared more than 700 times in less than two weeks. More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page Earth's climate has changed throughout history for numerous reasons, but an abundance of evidence shows modern climate change is driven by human behavior. There i...

Somewhere, A Polar Bear Drifts On A Dwindling Ice Floe.

Somewhere, a polar bear drifts on a dwindling ice floe. Elsewhere, a farmer stares at the cracked, parched earth that once yielded life. And everywhere, people are asking: Is this real? Is it natural? Is it too late? Global warming.

For Decades, Those Two Words Have Hovered In The Background

For decades, those two words have hovered in the background of public discourse, growing louder with each passing year. Yet for every scientist shouting the alarm, there’s a social media post casting doubt. Climate change is real, they say. No, it’s a hoax. It’s human-caused. No, it’s natural.

The Confusion Is Not Surprising. When Fear, Politics, And Profit

The confusion is not surprising. When fear, politics, and profit collide, the truth often gets buried. But today, we dig it out. Not with shouting, but with clarity. Not with fear, but with facts. This is a journey through science and storytelling, separating myth from reality, to help you understand what global warming really is—and why the truth matters now more than ever.