Climate change could cause low level clouds over oceans to disappear

A new study claims that a sharp rise in greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere could sound the death knell for low-level clouds that cover much of the world's oceans.

According to the study, stratocumulus clouds cover 20 percent of tropical oceans and critically affect Earth's energy balance by reflecting 30-60 percent of shortwave radiation back into space.

Without these clouds, the surface of our planet could be exposed to more extreme levels of sunlight, resulting in a dramatic rise in global temperatures.

You can see how the scientists behind the study arrived at their conclusions in the video above.