– Scientists from India’s Physical Research Laboratory observed that lunar nighttime surface temperatures dipped substantially across six sites on the near side of the Moon during early 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns were in effect.
– They propose that this “anomalous dip” was caused by a sudden drop in radiation being emitted from Earth as human activity and pollution levels plummeted during the lockdowns. Less heat was released into the night sky.
– Usually the Moon only receives radiation from the Sun during the day and from Earth at night. Less terrestrial radiation reached the Moon during COVID lockdowns.
– The lower lunar temperatures provide evidence that human activities like industry and transportation influence Earth’s radiation budget and climate. Studying the Moon’s temperature changes could help monitor changes in Earth’s climate.
– The pandemic created a unique opportunity to see the effect of decreasing human impacts on Earth from the perspective of the Moon’s surface hundreds of thousands of miles away. It supports using the Moon as a platform to study long term climate changes on Earth.
Source: Futurism
