Explore climate foreshadowing concepts in this 12-minute lecture from Columbia University's Frontiers of Science program. Delve into the complex factors that determine Earth's temperature through the balance of incoming and outgoing energy, examining influences such as sunspots, astronomical cycles, and greenhouse gases. Compare recent climate conditions with extensive historical records spanning thousands to millions of years, and investigate the critical role of feedback loops that make climate modeling particularly challenging. Learn how scientific inquiry approaches climate science as part of Columbia's Core Curriculum integration of modern science, focusing on the commonalities of scientific methods across active research areas.