Discoveries from the Arctic — ancient finds, disappearing islands amid ice melt
July 15 marks World Arctic Sea Ice Day, a campaign organized by Polar Bears International to raise awareness about the rapid loss of sea ice on our planet's northern cap.
The Arctic is warming at a rate four times that of the rest of the planet, the organization says, leading to monumental losses of sea ice that can harm not only the ecosystem, but also the animals that call the region home.
Just like soil in a forest, sea ice acts as the base of the frozen food chain, providing a place for algae to grow which is eaten by Arctic cod, who then in turn are eaten by predators like polar bears, according to Polar Bears International.
Melting ice is causing changes to the shoreline, animal behavior and even leading to new archaeological discoveries as centuries-old artifacts are revealed for the first time.
Take a look at some recent discoveries made in the frosty landscape, and how that landscape is changing:
Melting ice and observant park ranger lead to 1,500-year-old hunting tool in Norway
In Breheimen National Park, Norway, melting ice and a vigilant park ranger led to the discovery of a 1,500-year-old 'scaring stick,' used by ancient hunters to trap reindeer. This artifact, made from a young birch tree, was found flattened against rocks due to the pressure of snow and ice. The Secrets of the Ice team plans to explore more sites for similar discoveries. | Published Aug. 28 | Read More |
Melting ice reveals centuries-old fabric items still 'beautifully preserved.' See them
Archaeologists at Lendbreen glacier in southern Norway uncovered a beautifully preserved piece of textile likely from the medieval period or Viking age. The site also revealed other artifacts, including a leather or hide object and well-preserved Iron Age arrows. | Published Sept. 10 | Read More |
Arctic explorers vanished in 1845. Now, cannibalized body of crew member identified
Captain James Fitzjames, who vanished with his crew during the Franklin Northwest Passage expedition in 1845, has been identified through DNA analysis on King William Island, Nunavut, Canada. The discovery of Fitzjames' remains, marked by signs of cannibalism, sheds light on the desperate measures taken by the crew. | Published Sept. 30 | Read More |
Schoolchildren check satellite images for island in Russia — then find it's missing
In the Arctic Ocean, schoolchildren participating in a Russian program discovered that Mesyatsev Island had vanished due to rising sea levels and coastal erosion. The island, which had shrunk significantly over the years, was completely submerged by September. | Published Nov. 12 | Read More |
What do narwhals use their tusks for? First-of-its-kind drone footage offers clues
Drone footage from the Canadian Arctic has provided new insights into the purpose of narwhal tusks, revealing their use in hunting and play. The footage shows narwhals using their tusks to stun fish and engage in playful behavior with Arctic char. This discovery highlights the tusks' multifunctional role and the adaptability of narwhals to their environment. | Published March 4 | Read More |
Killer whales seen 'kissing' for the first time in the wild, photo shows
In the Kvænangen fjords of Norway, above the Arctic Circle, snorkelers captured footage of two killer whales 'kissing' underwater. This rare behavior, observed for the first time in the wild, is believed to reinforce social bonds among juveniles. | Published June 27 | Read More |
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New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
‘Largest piece of Mars on Earth' catches massive $5.3 million bid at NY auction
The largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth was sold for just over $5 million at an auction of rare geological and archaeological objects in New York on Wednesday, while a juvenile dinosaur skeleton went for more than $30 million. The 54-pound (25-kilogram) rock named NWA 16788 was discovered in the Sahara Desert in Niger by a meteorite hunter in November 2023, after having been blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike and traveling 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) to Earth, according to Sotheby's. The estimated sale price before the auction was $2 million to $4 million. The identity of the buyer was not immediately disclosed. The final bid was $4.3 million. Adding various fees and costs, the official bid price was about $5.3 million. Advertisement AP Two advance bids of $1.9 million and $2 million were submitted. The live bidding went slower than for many other objects that were sold, with the auctioneer trying to coax more offers and decreasing the $200,000 to $300,000 bid intervals to $100,000 after the proposals hit $4 million. The red, brown and gray meteorite is about 70% larger than the next largest piece of Mars found on Earth and represents nearly 7% of all the Martian material currently on this planet, Sotheby's says. It measures nearly 15 inches by 11 inches by 6 inches (375 millimeters by 279 millimeters by 152 millimeters). Advertisement It was also a rare find. There are only 400 Martian meteorites out of the more than 77,000 officially recognized meteorites found on Earth, the auction house says. AP 'This Martian meteorite is the largest piece of Mars we have ever found by a long shot,' Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman for science and natural history at Sotheby's, said in an interview before the auction. 'So it's more than double the size of what we previously thought was the largest piece of Mars.' It's not clear exactly when the meteorite was blasted off the surface of Mars, but testing showed it probably happened in recent years, Sotheby's says. Advertisement Hatton said a specialized lab examined a small piece of the red planet remnant and confirmed it was from Mars. It was compared with the distinct chemical composition of Martian meteorites discovered during the Viking space probe that landed on Mars in 1976, she said. The examination found that it is an 'olivine-microgabbroic shergottite,' a type of Martian rock formed from the slow cooling of Martian magma. It has a course-grained texture and contains the minerals pyroxene and olivine, Sotheby's says. Advertisement It also has a glassy surface, likely due to the high heat that burned it when it fell through Earth's atmosphere, Hatton said. 'So that was their first clue that this wasn't just some big rock on the ground,' she said. The meteorite previously was on exhibit at the Italian Space Agency in Rome. Sotheby's did not disclose the owner. Bidding for the juvenile Ceratosaurus nasicornis dinosaur skeleton started with a high advance bid of $6 million, then escalated with offers $500,000 higher than the last and later $1 million higher than the last before ending at $26 million. The official sale price was $30.5 million with fees and costs. The original estimate was $4 million to $6 million. Parts of the skeleton were found in 1996 near Laramie, Wyoming, at Bone Cabin Quarry, a gold mine for dinosaur bones. It's more than 6 feet (2 meters) tall and nearly 11 feet (3 meters) long. Specialists assembled nearly 140 fossil bones with some sculpted materials to recreate the skeleton and mounted it so it's ready to exhibit, Sotheby's says. The skeleton is believed to be from the late Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago, Sotheby's says. Ceratosaurus dinosaurs were bipeds with short arms that appear similar to the Tyrannosaurus rex, but smaller. Ceratosaurus dinosaurs could grow up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) long, while the Tyrannosaurs rex could be 40 feet (12 meters) long. Advertisement The skeleton was acquired last year by Fossilogic, a Utah-based fossil preparation and mounting company. Wednesday's auction was part of Sotheby's Geek Week 2025 and featured 122 items, including other meteorites, fossils and gem-quality minerals.
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Largest piece of Mars on Earth fetches meteoric $5.3 million at New York auction
The largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth was sold for just over $5 million at an auction of rare geological and archaeological objects in New York on Wednesday, while a juvenile dinosaur skeleton went for more than $30 million. The 54-pound (25-kilogram) rock named NWA 16788 was discovered in the Sahara Desert in Niger by a meteorite hunter in November 2023, after having been blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike and traveling 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) to Earth, according to Sotheby's. The estimated sale price before the auction was $2 million to $4 million. The identity of the buyer was not immediately disclosed. The final bid was $4.3 million. Adding various fees and costs, the official bid price was about $5.3 million. Two advance bids of $1.9 million and $2 million were submitted. The live bidding went slower than for many other objects that were sold, with the auctioneer trying to coax more offers and decreasing the $200,000 to $300,000 bid intervals to $100,000 after the proposals hit $4 million. The red, brown and gray meteorite is about 70% larger than the next largest piece of Mars found on Earth and represents nearly 7% of all the Martian material currently on this planet , Sotheby's says. It measures nearly 15 inches by 11 inches by 6 inches (375 millimeters by 279 millimeters by 152 millimeters). It was also a rare find. There are only 400 Martian meteorites out of the more than 77,000 officially recognized meteorites found on Earth, the auction house says. 'This Martian meteorite is the largest piece of Mars we have ever found by a long shot,' Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman for science and natural history at Sotheby's, said in an interview before the auction. 'So it's more than double the size of what we previously thought was the largest piece of Mars.' It's not clear exactly when the meteorite was blasted off the surface of Mars , but testing showed it probably happened in recent years, Sotheby's says. Hatton said a specialized lab examined a small piece of the red planet remnant and confirmed it was from Mars. It was compared with the distinct chemical composition of Martian meteorites discovered during the Viking space probe that landed on Mars in 1976, she said. The examination found that it is an 'olivine-microgabbroic shergottite,' a type of Martian rock formed from the slow cooling of Martian magma. It has a course-grained texture and contains the minerals pyroxene and olivine, Sotheby's says. It also has a glassy surface, likely due to the high heat that burned it when it fell through Earth's atmosphere, Hatton said. 'So that was their first clue that this wasn't just some big rock on the ground,' she said. The meteorite previously was on exhibit at the Italian Space Agency in Rome. Sotheby's did not disclose the owner. Bidding for the juvenile Ceratosaurus nasicornis dinosaur skeleton started with a high advance bid of $6 million, then escalated with offers $500,000 higher than the last and later $1 million higher than the last before ending at $26 million. The official sale price was $30.5 million with fees and costs. The original estimate was $4 million to $6 million. Parts of the skeleton were found in 1996 near Laramie, Wyoming, at Bone Cabin Quarry, a gold mine for dinosaur bones. It's more than 6 feet (2 meters) tall and nearly 11 feet (3 meters) long. Specialists assembled nearly 140 fossil bones with some sculpted materials to recreate the skeleton and mounted it so it's ready to exhibit, Sotheby's says. The skeleton is believed to be from the late Jurassic period , about 150 million years ago, Sotheby's says. Ceratosaurus dinosaurs were bipeds with short arms that appear similar to the Tyrannosaurus rex , but smaller. Ceratosaurus dinosaurs could grow up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) long, while the Tyrannosaurs rex could be 40 feet (12 meters) long. The skeleton was acquired last year by Fossilogic, a Utah-based fossil preparation and mounting company. Wednesday's auction was part of Sotheby's Geek Week 2025 and featured 122 items, including other meteorites, fossils and gem-quality minerals. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
New York Times
10 hours ago
- New York Times
The West's Megadrought Might Not Let Up for Decades, Study Suggests
A megadrought has sapped water supplies, ravaged farms and ranches, and fueled wildfires across the American Southwest for going on 25 years. Not in 12 centuries has the region been so dry for so long. Now comes worse news: Relief might still be decades away. According to new findings published in the journal Nature Geoscience, the dry spell is no mere bout of bad luck, no rough patch that could end anytime soon. Instead, it seems to be the result of a pattern of Pacific Ocean temperatures that is 'stuck' because of global warming, said Victoria Todd, a doctoral student in paleoclimatology at the University of Texas at Austin who led the new research. That means the drought could continue through 2050, perhaps even 2100 and beyond — effectively, Ms. Todd said, for as long as humans keep heating up the planet. Even in the arid Southwest, the long, chronic deficit of moisture since the turn of the millennium has exacted a heavy toll. The possibility of more parched decades ahead raises big concerns in a fast-growing region where agriculture and other industries, including computer-chip manufacturing, use lots of water. In their study, Ms. Todd and her colleagues set out to understand a different dry period in the region's deep past. For clues, they looked to mud from the bottoms of two lakes in the Rocky Mountains: Stewart Bog in New Mexico and Hunters Lake in Colorado. The waxy coating on a plant's leaves preserves a chemical signature of the rain and snow that the plant absorbs. So by analyzing the vegetal remains that had accumulated on the lake beds and become entombed in layers of sediment, Ms. Todd and her colleagues reconstructed how wet the Rockies had been over the past 14 millenniums. They found that winters were dry for thousands of years in the middle of this period. Scientists have long known that those were warm years for the planet. Earth's orbit was in a phase that caused more solar radiation to reach the Northern Hemisphere in summer. The radiation melted Arctic sea ice and caused vegetation to flourish in Siberia and the Sahara. These changes darkened the planet's surface and caused it to absorb more sun, raising temperatures further. Ms. Todd and her colleagues ran computer simulations of the prehistoric climate during this warm time to see what might have led to such a severe drought in the Southwest. They found that the extra heat gave rise to something striking in the Pacific: a giant blob of warm water extending east from Japan and surrounded on three sides by cool water, including along the West Coast of the United States. The warm blob shifted the band of winds known as the jet stream and deflected storms away from the Southwest. This kind of pattern isn't unusual in and of itself: Today, it emerges in the northern Pacific every few decades, alternating with a cold blob that has the opposite effect, namely making the Southwest wetter. But in the warm world of 6,000 years ago, the blob didn't alternate, according to Ms. Todd and her colleagues' simulations. It stayed put, drying out the Southwest for thousands of years. And, when Ms. Todd and her colleagues ran simulations of the present-day climate, they found that the blob might be stuck in place again — only this time, it appears to be because humans are changing the atmosphere by burning coal, oil and gas. A. Park Williams, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who researches water in the West, called the new study 'thorough' and 'convincing.' Still, he noted that researchers' computer models underestimated how badly the warm blob — or, as scientists prefer to call it, the negative phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation — can dry out the Southwest. That means projections of future drought risk in the region are probably underestimates as well, Dr. Williams said. Human-caused warming is creating conditions that can worsen droughts in many parts of the globe. The warmer air pulls more water out of the soil and vegetation. It causes more precipitation to fall as rain rather than accumulate in the mountains as snow. In the American Southwest, these factors come on top of natural climate fluctuations that have long shaped water availability. Even so, events like the megadrought raise the possibility that greenhouse warming is starting to overpower certain well-established rhythms and patterns in nature, said Pedro DiNezio, a climate scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder who contributed to the new study. For instance, El Niño, the cyclical temperature pattern in the tropical Pacific Ocean, typically leads to wetter winters in the Southwest. But that wasn't the case during the most recent El Niño, from 2023 to last year. 'All these trends are starting to emerge recently that are very unlikely within our understanding of the climate system,' Dr. DiNezio said. These trends start to make sense, he said, only once you account for how much humans are now influencing the climate.
