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Scientists’ annual physical of planet: ‘Earth’s fever rises’

FILE - In this July 20, 2015 file photo, a boat floats through light reflected from the illuminated Ada Bridge over the Sava river in Belgrade, Serbia. Earth’s fever got worse last year, breaking dozens of climate records, 450 international scientists diagnosed in a massive report nicknamed the annual physical for the planet. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File) FILE - In this July 20, 2015 file photo, a boat floats through light reflected from the illuminated Ada Bridge over the Sava river in Belgrade, Serbia. Earth’s fever got worse last year, breaking dozens of climate records, 450 international scientists diagnosed in a massive report nicknamed the annual physical for the planet. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File)

By Associated Press August 2, 2016 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – In a report nicknamed the planet’s annual physical, hundreds of scientists across the globe said the Earth’s fever got worse last year, breaking dozens of climate records.

Soon after 2015 ended, it was proclaimed the hottest on record. The new report shows the broad extent of other records and near-records on the planet’s climatic health. Those include record heat energy absorbed by the oceans and lowest groundwater storage levels globally.

Scientists blame much of the intense and record-breaking weather on a combination of a natural El Nino and man-made global warming.

The State of the Climate report looks at 50 different aspects of climate. The report was issued Tuesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.