Earth’s Albedo Symmetry Is Breaking

A long‑observed balance in how much light the Northern and Southern hemispheres reflect is now diverging: both are darkening, but the Northern Hemisphere is darkening faster. Using 24 years of CERES satellite data, NASA’s Norman Loeb and colleagues show the shift challenges the idea that cloud dynamics keep hemispheric albedo roughly equal. — A persistent change in planetary reflectivity—and its hemispheric asymmetry—affects Earth’s energy budget and challenges assumptions in climate models that guide policy.