Was a Hot One Warmest on Record, Researchers Say Worldwide, the temperature averaged 58.496 degrees Fahrenheit in 1998.
Most scientists blame mankind for fueling the trend.
Last year was the hottest year on record, according to NASA researchers who say the rising temperatures are further evidence that the world is heating up. In announcing its findings on the Internet, NASA said Monday the average global temperature last year was 0.34 of a degree Fahrenheit warmer than the previous record, in 1995. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in a separate announcement, agreed that last year was the hottest on record. Sparks Government Action Rising temperatures have sparked concern that the Earth's temperature could increase dangerously. That concern led to the controversial agreement reached in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997 seeking to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases thought to threaten the climate.