Small volcanic eruptions could be slowing global warming by emitting sulfur aerosols into the upper atmosphere that reflect sunlight and cool the Earth. A new study found that small volcanic eruptions have deflected almost twice as much solar radiation as previously estimated, cooling global temperatures by 0.05 to 0.12 degrees Celsius since 2000. This cooling effect from small volcanic eruptions could explain why the steep rise in global temperatures seen in the 1990s appears to have leveled off in recent years.