Why does Earth's upper atmosphere cool but surface warms?

Scientists found that Earth's upper atmosphere is cooling while surface continues to warm due to carbon dioxide (CO2) interacting with infrared radiation. CO2 traps heat near the surface, driving global warming, while in stratosphere it absorbs and releases infrared energy into space, causing cooling. They identified a "Goldilocks zone" of wavelengths that enhances this cooling as CO2 levels rise.