Tried to debunk a climate graph and got schooled by a Reddit comment

I saw this viral chart claiming global temps flatlined since 2016, so I pulled raw NOAA data to prove it wrong. Turns out the chart used a 5-year smoothing average that actually hid the warming trend - but the raw data showed a clear rise when you look at just 2023 vs 2016. Has anyone else fallen for a fake graph that looked legit until you scratched the surface?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_miles5d ago

My buddy fell for that exact same chart @anthony763 and only figured it out when his climate science friend walked him through the raw data.

anthony7636d ago

2016 and 2023 comparison is the real tell, that 5 year average just smooths over the spikes. I learned the hard way with a graph on Arctic sea ice that used a different baseline year than the official data. Always check the raw numbers and the axis scale before you trust any climate chart.

emma_garcia6d ago

Wait, so you're telling me there's people out there who just trust a pretty colored graph without checking if the y-axis starts at zero? I mean, that's like buying a used car just because it has a fresh paint job, right? I swear, half the climate debate online is just people arguing over which baseline year makes their favorite line look steeper. Maybe it's just me but a 5 year average feels like putting lipstick on a pig, you know, it hides the ugly truth of the actual gigs and spikes. If you don't zoom in on the raw numbers you're basically just picking whichever story makes you feel better about your energy bill.