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Greenhouse Effect
The ability of atmospheric gases to trap heat expelled from the earth's surface, commonly thought to be responsible for global warming. The greenhouse effect is also responsible for providing the earth with insulation, without which the planet would be too cold for most forms of life to exist. The greenhouse effect is a natural process that allows gases in the atmosphere to trap heat, thereby warming the earth. The current level of gases found in the atmosphere, however, is at historically high levels and is responsible for increasingly warmer temperatures. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil, along with other human activities, is thought to seriously contribute to increasing the gases in the atmosphere. The result, according to many scientists, is ...