eli5 How is it that things on earth can be “hotter than the surface of the sun”? If the sun is giving energy to basically everything on earth, wouldn’t any earth-item or organism only be able to mimic a fraction of the sun’s energy/power output?
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The sun is a big source of energy, but it’s not the only way we can make energy on Earth. There are loads of other ways, like wind, water and nuclear power, that help us meet our energy needs. For example, wind turbines make electricity by using wind energy, and hydroelectric plants use water power. Countries like Denmark and Norway have been really good at using wind and water power for their energy, with Denmark getting over 40% of its electricity from wind and Norway getting almost all of its power from water.
When we use these energy sources, the atoms in different elements or mixtures start moving faster. This faster movement is what lets us use these other energy sources for our everyday lives, helping us rely less on fossil fuels and cut down on our carbon footprint. A lot of countries are now focusing on using renewable energy sources to fight climate change and make sure we have a sustainable future.
Nuclear power plants also make energy through controlled nuclear reactions, which can help us have a more sustainable energy future too. For example, France gets a lot of its electricity from nuclear power, with about 70% of its energy coming from this method. This shows that nuclear power can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and give us a reliable source of energy. As technology and safety measures get better, nuclear power can play a big part in meeting our global energy needs while being kinder to the environment.
Edit: a lot of people have mentioned that climate change is more or less negligible, and they are correct, it’s actually not as huge of an issue as the media makes it seem like
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