Is Less Dust Making Earth Warmer? Scientists Find a Mysterious 10% Drop in 20 Years

Earth's atmosphere has become about 10% less dusty in just two decades, and scientists say the unexpected decline may have quietly added to recent global warming (Credit: Alexander Gluschenko/Unsplash)

Earth's atmosphere became about 10% less dusty between 2003 and 2023, and scientists say the unexpected decline may have quietly added to recent global warming by weakening one of the planet's natural cooling influences.

A new peer-reviewed study published in Science Advances found that atmospheric mineral dust fell by approximately 10% between 2003 and 2023. The decline was concentrated in North Africa and Asia, home to major sources including the Sahara and Gobi deserts, but researchers have yet to determine exactly what is driving it.