Earth’s average temperature set a new unofficial record high on Thursday, the third such milestone in a week.
The planetary average hit 63 degrees Fahrenheit, surpassing the 62.9-degree mark set Tuesday and equaled Wednesday. That’s according to data from a University of Maine tool that uses satellite data and computer simulations to measure the world’s condition.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has distanced itself from the calculations in part because they rely on modeling. But scientists say the daily records — official or not — are a symptom of the larger problem of climate change where the precise digits aren’t as important as what’s causing them.