2021 Ranks As Earth's 6th Hottest Year On Record

Scientists say the exceptionally hot year is part of a long-term warming trend that shows hints of accelerating.

Earth simmered to the sixth hottest year on record in 2021, according to several newly released temperature measurements. 

And scientists say the exceptionally hot year is part of a long-term warming trend that shows hints of accelerating.

Two U.S. science agencies — NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — and a private measuring group released their calculations for last year's global temperature on Thursday, and all said it wasn't far behind ultra-hot 2016 and 2020.