A recent study found that ice and snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere is shrinking, causing less sunlight to be reflected back into space than previously thought. This phenomenon, which was underestimated, could contribute to global warming. Satellite data from 1979 to 2008 showed that Arctic sea ice, glaciers, winter snow, and Greenland's ice were reflecting less energy back to space. As a result, the Earth's surface is being exposed, leading to an increase in heat absorption. The study estimated that ice and snow in the Northern Hemisphere now reflect an average of 3.3 watts per square meter of solar energy back to the atmosphere, a decrease of 0.45 watts per square meter since the late 1970s. Mark Flanner, the lead author of the study and an assistant professor at the University of Michigan, explained that this reduction in cooling effect is causing the planet to absorb more solar energy. "The team of US-based researchers found that the reduction in reflected solar energy due to warming is more significant than what is currently predicted by climate models," he stated in reference to the findings published in the journal Nature Geoscience Sunday. He added that the cryosphere, which includes areas of ice and snow, is reacting more sensitively to and influencing stronger climate change than previously believed. The exposure of more ground and water to sunlight leads to increased heat absorption, which accelerates the melting of nearby snow and ice. The shrinking of Arctic sea ice, attributed mainly to greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, is a concerning trend that could have negative impacts on indigenous cultures, polar bears, and other wildlife, as well as contributing to global climate change. Many studies suggest that Arctic sea ice may disappear in summers later this century, further exacerbating these issues. Flanner mentioned that drawing conclusions about the future rate of melting, such as Arctic sea ice, from the study was not possible due to it being based on only 30 years of data. He emphasized that climate is influenced by many other factors besides ice shrinking. These factors include the presence of more clouds in a warmer world, which reflect sunlight, and an increase in water vapor that traps heat in the atmosphere. The study predicted that for every degree Celsius rise in temperatures, there would be a decrease in solar energy reflected out to space ranging from 0.3 to 1.1 watts per square meter from the snow and ice in the Northern Hemisphere. In the last thirty years, temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere have increased by approximately 0.75 degrees Celsius. The study did not examine the Southern Hemisphere, where Antarctica has a greater amount of ice but experiences colder temperatures and displays fewer indications of warming. According to Flanner, globally, the Earth absorbs solar energy at a rate of around 240 watts per square meter annually. If not for the cryosphere in the Northern Hemisphere, the planet would be darker and absorb an extra 3.3 watts.