Local temperature fluctuations on Earth (IMAGE) University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science Caption Local temperature fluctuations on Earth Local temperature fluctuations on Earth in the 1880s (left), compared to today (right). White colors show the average temperature during the period 1951–1980, while blue and red show colder and warmer temperatures, respectively. Globally, the temperature has increased roughly 1 °C over this period, but locally the variations may be greater or smaller. Now, new research sheds light on the link between these variations and the unstable weather. Source: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio. Credit Source: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio. Usage Restrictions Obtain permission from NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio. License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.