 The warmth of 2015 largely ended any remaining scientific credibility of claims that the supposed "hiatus" since 1998 had any significance for the long-term warming trend, and 2016 was even slightly warmer.In January 2017, a study published in the journal "Science Advances" cast further doubt on the existence of a recent pause, with more evidence that ocean temperatures have been underestimated.An April 2017 study found the data consistent with a steady warming trend globally since the 1970s, with fluctuations within the expected range of short term variability.