Fact check: Which 10 years have been the hottest on record

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, the 10 hottest years on record are the years 2015-2024 ^{[1] [2]}. Multiple sources confirm that 2024 was the warmest year on record, with global average surface temperatures reaching 1.55°C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average ^[1] or 2.32°F (1.29°C) above the 20th-century average ^{[2] [3]}.

The data consistently shows that all ten warmest years in the 175-year temperature record have occurred during the last decade ^[2]. This represents an unprecedented concentration of extreme temperatures in recent history, with the past nine years being the warmest since modern recordkeeping began in 1880 ^[4].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important contextual information about the dramatic acceleration of warming trends. The analyses reveal that while the question asks for the hottest years, it doesn't capture the ongoing nature of this warming trend - with 2025 already on track to be the second or third warmest year on record based on the first six months of data ^[5].

The question also misses the historical significance of this concentration of warm years. The fact that all ten warmest years have occurred in just one decade out of 175 years of records ^[2] represents a statistically extraordinary clustering that suggests accelerating climate change rather than natural variation.

Additionally, the analyses indicate there has been a steady increase in the rate of warming, particularly after 1990 ^[6], providing crucial context about the trajectory of global temperatures that the simple question about "hottest years" doesn't capture.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself appears factually neutral and doesn't contain obvious misinformation. However, the framing could potentially be used to minimize the significance of recent warming trends by treating the hottest years as isolated data points rather than part of a consistent pattern of accelerating climate change.

The question's simplicity might inadvertently support narratives that downplay the urgency of climate action by those who benefit from maintaining the status quo in fossil fuel industries. By asking only for a list of years rather than the broader context of unprecedented warming concentration in a single decade ^[2], the question could be used to present climate data in a way that obscures the dramatic acceleration of warming trends documented in the analyses.