radiation
Both conduction and convection transfer energy through matter. Radiation is the only way of transferring energy that doesnt require matter. Radiation is the transfer of energy by waves that can travel through empty space. When the waves reach objects, they transfer energy to the objects, causing them to warm up. This is how the suns energy reaches Earth and heats its surface see Figure below . Radiation is also how thermal energy from a campfire warms people nearby. You might be surprised to learn that all objects radiate thermal energy, including people. In fact, when a room is full of people, it may feel noticeably warmer because of all the thermal energy the people radiate! To learn more about thermal radiation, watch "Radiation" at the URL below.