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Coral bleaching

Coral bleaching: The process that takes place when corals lose the microscopic organisms called algae that live within their tissues. These algae provide the coral with nutrients, and they’re responsible for the color of the coral. If a disturbance such as rising water temperature causes the algae to leave, corals will appear white (or bleached) and could eventually die.

Climate model

Climate model: A series of calculations run on a computer that simulates how the atmosphere, oceans, land, living things, ice, and energy from the sun affect each other and the Earth's climate. Scientists use these models to study the Earth’s climate and predict how it might respond to changing conditions, such as an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Climate change

Climate change: A significant change in the Earth’s climate. The Earth is currently getting warmer because people are adding heat-trapping greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The term “global warming” refers to warmer temperatures, while “climate change” refers to the broader set of changes that go along with warmer temperatures, including changes in weather patterns, the oceans, ice and snow, and ecosystems around the world.