The November 2001 through January 2002 is the hottest winter on record in the United States - 4.3 degrees F above the average temperatures.

January 2002 was the warmest on record globally, 1.24 degrees F. above normal.

Scientists report that Antarctica is becoming too hot for the penguins. All from Earthfiles

Is Europe about to freeze? One of the odd possibilities that could emerge from global warming is that much of Europe, robbed of the ocean current patterns that help keep it warm, could rather abruptly enter a deep freeze and have a climate that more closely resembles Alaska than the modest temperatures it now enjoys.

NASA have made the most detailed true-color image of the entire Earth to date. Using a collection of satellite-based observations, scientists and visualizers stitched together months of observations of the land surface, oceans, sea ice, and clouds into a seamless, true-color mosaic of every square kilometer of our planet. These images are freely available to educators, scientists, museums, and the public. Preview images and links to full resolution versions—up to 21,600 pixels across—are here