Home run surge in MLB linked to climate change, per study

Major-league sluggers like Aaron Judge are hitting more home runs than ever before, and a new study suggests that climate change is partly to blame. The study, published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, explains that the warmer temperatures caused by climate change are affecting the flight-path of baseballs, resulting in more home runs.

According to Christopher Callahan, a Ph.D. candidate in climate science at Dartmouth College and the study's lead author, "When the air is warmer, it's less dense, meaning there is less air resistance for a ball to travel through when it's hit. By increasing temperatures and reducing the density of air during ball games, climate change has to some degree increased the likelihood of home runs."

Callahan's research suggests that climate change has contributed to about 1% of all home runs hit in Major League Baseball over the past decade, equivalent to around 50 home runs per year.

At first, some were skeptical of the study's findings. John Knox, a geography professor at the University of Georgia, admits: "When I first saw the headline, I thought you got to be kidding." However, after reading the study, he became a convert. "They did a careful analysis," Knox acknowledges.

By the end of the century, there will be more HRs for this reason

Despite the fact that climate change has only had a small effect on home run rates so far, Callahan warns that rising temperatures could account for up to 10% of home runs by the end of the century.

He suggests that changes to the construction of the baseball, moving day games to night games to avoid higher temperatures, and putting domes over ballparks to insulate them from ambient temperatures could help mitigate the impact of climate change. More importantly, Callahan suggests that we need to take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to mitigate the effects of global warming.

In conclusion, while climate change is not the only factor contributing to the surge in home runs in Major League Baseball, it is a significant factor that cannot be ignored. As Callahan points out, "Climate change will give us more home runs." It's up to us to take action to minimize its impact on the sport we love.

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