Latest news with #Easter Island
The Independent
2 days ago
- Science
- The Independent
Rising sea levels could erase one of the planet's iconic heritage sites
A new study warns that rising sea levels could threaten Easter Island 's iconic moai statues and other cultural sites by the end of this century. The research, published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage, specifically highlights that the 15 monumental figures at Ahu Tongariki could be inundated by powerful seasonal waves. Lead author Noah Paoa and his team used a high-resolution "digital twin" of the island's coastline to model future wave impacts, predicting waves could reach Ahu Tongariki as early as 2080. The site at Ahu Tongariki, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is vital for the island's tourism economy and cultural identity, attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually. The study urges proactive measures such as coastal armoring, breakwaters, or even relocating the monuments to prevent irreversible damage to these globally significant heritage sites.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Iconic Easter Island statues could be gone in 60 years, study warns
Easter Island's iconic moai statues face an existential threat from rising sea levels, with powerful seasonal waves predicted to inundate the 15 monumental figures at Ahu Tongariki by the end of the century, according to a new study. The research, published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage, also warns that approximately 50 other cultural sites on the remote Pacific island are at risk of flooding. "Sea level rise is real," stated Noah Paoa, lead author of the study and a doctoral student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. "It's not a distant threat." Mr Paoa, of Easter Island (known to its Indigenous people as Rapa Nui), and his team created a high-resolution "digital twin" of the island's eastern coastline, running computer models to simulate future wave impacts under various sea level rise scenarios. Their findings indicate that waves could reach Ahu Tongariki, the island's largest ceremonial platform, as early as 2080. This site, home to the towering moai, attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually and is crucial to the island's tourism economy. Beyond its economic value, the ahu is deeply intertwined with Rapa Nui's cultural identity, lying within Rapa Nui National Park, a recognized UNESCO World Heritage site. The roughly 900 moai statues across the island were carved by the Rapa Nui people between the 10th and 16th centuries to honor important ancestors and chiefs. The threat is not unprecedented; a magnitude 9.5 earthquake off the coast of Chile in 1960 triggered a tsunami that swept already-toppled moai further inland, damaging some features before the monument was restored in the 1990s. While the study focuses on Rapa Nui, its conclusions underscore a broader global reality: cultural heritage sites worldwide are increasingly imperiled by rising seas. A UNESCO report last month revealed that around 50 World Heritage sites are highly exposed to coastal flooding. Possible defences for Ahu Tongariki range from armoring the coastline and constructing breakwaters to the drastic measure of relocating the monuments. Mr Paoa hopes his findings will prompt these crucial conversations now, before irreversible damage occurs. "It's best to look ahead and be proactive instead of reactive to the potential threats," he urged. ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Science
- Washington Post
Rising seas could put Easter Island's moai at risk by 2080, study warns
By the end of the century, rising sea levels could push powerful seasonal waves into Easter Island's 15 iconic moai statues, according to a new study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage. About 50 other cultural sites in the area are also at risk from flooding. 'Sea level rise is real,' said Noah Paoa, lead author of the study and a doctoral student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. 'It's not a distant threat.' Paoa, who is from Easter Island — known to its Indigenous people as Rapa Nui — and his colleagues built a high-resolution 'digital twin' of the island's eastern coastline and ran computer models to simulate future wave impacts under various sea level rise scenarios. They then overlaid the results with maps of cultural sites to pinpoint which places could be inundated in the coming decades. The findings show waves could reach Ahu Tongariki, the largest ceremonial platform on the island, as early as 2080. The site, home to the 15 towering moai, draws tens of thousands of visitors each year and is a cornerstone of the island's tourism economy. Beyond its economic value, the ahu is deeply woven into Rapa Nui's cultural identity. It lies within Rapa Nui National Park, which encompasses much of the island and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The roughly 900 moai statues across the island were built by the Rapa Nui people between the 10th and 16th centuries to honor important ancestors and chiefs. The threat isn't unprecedented. In 1960, the largest earthquake ever recorded — a magnitude 9.5 off the coast of Chile — sent a tsunami surging across the Pacific. It struck Rapa Nui and swept the already-toppled moai further inland, which damaged some of their features. The monument was restored in the 1990s. While the study focuses on Rapa Nui, its conclusions echo a wider reality: cultural heritage sites worldwide are increasingly endangered by rising seas. A UNESCO report published last month found that about 50 World Heritage sites are highly exposed to coastal flooding. A UNESCO spokesperson said that relevant experts weren't immediately available for comment. Possible defenses for Ahu Tongariki range from armoring the coastline and building breakwaters to relocating the monuments. Paoa hopes that the findings will bring these conversations about now, rather than after irreversible damage. 'It's best to look ahead and be proactive instead of reactive to the potential threats,' he said. ___ Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram: @ahammergram ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Rising seas could put Easter Island's moai at risk by 2080, study warns
By the end of the century, rising sea levels could push powerful seasonal waves into Easter Island's 15 iconic moai statues, according to a new study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage. About 50 other cultural sites in the area are also at risk from flooding. 'Sea level rise is real,' said Noah Paoa, lead author of the study and a doctoral student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. 'It's not a distant threat.' Paoa, who is from Easter Island — known to its Indigenous people as Rapa Nui — and his colleagues built a high-resolution 'digital twin' of the island's eastern coastline and ran computer models to simulate future wave impacts under various sea level rise scenarios. They then overlaid the results with maps of cultural sites to pinpoint which places could be inundated in the coming decades. The findings show waves could reach Ahu Tongariki, the largest ceremonial platform on the island, as early as 2080. The site, home to the 15 towering moai, draws tens of thousands of visitors each year and is a cornerstone of the island's tourism economy. Beyond its economic value, the ahu is deeply woven into Rapa Nui's cultural identity. It lies within Rapa Nui National Park, which encompasses much of the island and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The roughly 900 moai statues across the island were built by the Rapa Nui people between the 10th and 16th centuries to honor important ancestors and chiefs. The threat isn't unprecedented. In 1960, the largest earthquake ever recorded — a magnitude 9.5 off the coast of Chile — sent a tsunami surging across the Pacific. It struck Rapa Nui and swept the already-toppled moai further inland, which damaged some of their features. The monument was restored in the 1990s. While the study focuses on Rapa Nui, its conclusions echo a wider reality: cultural heritage sites worldwide are increasingly endangered by rising seas. A UNESCO report published last month found that about 50 World Heritage sites are highly exposed to coastal flooding. A UNESCO spokesperson said that relevant experts weren't immediately available for comment. Possible defenses for Ahu Tongariki range from armoring the coastline and building breakwaters to relocating the monuments. Paoa hopes that the findings will bring these conversations about now, rather than after irreversible damage. 'It's best to look ahead and be proactive instead of reactive to the potential threats,' he said. ___ Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram: @ahammergram ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit Annika Hammerschlag, The Associated Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Independent
2 days ago
- Science
- The Independent
Rising seas could put Easter Island's moai at risk by 2080, study warns
By the end of the century, rising sea levels could push powerful seasonal waves into Easter Island's 15 iconic moai statues, according to a new study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage. About 50 other cultural sites in the area are also at risk from flooding. 'Sea level rise is real,' said Noah Paoa, lead author of the study and a doctoral student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. 'It's not a distant threat.' Paoa, who is from Easter Island — known to its Indigenous people as Rapa Nui — and his colleagues built a high-resolution 'digital twin' of the island's eastern coastline and ran computer models to simulate future wave impacts under various sea level rise scenarios. They then overlaid the results with maps of cultural sites to pinpoint which places could be inundated in the coming decades. The findings show waves could reach Ahu Tongariki, the largest ceremonial platform on the island, as early as 2080. The site, home to the 15 towering moai, draws tens of thousands of visitors each year and is a cornerstone of the island's tourism economy. Beyond its economic value, the ahu is deeply woven into Rapa Nui's cultural identity. It lies within Rapa Nui National Park, which encompasses much of the island and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The roughly 900 moai statues across the island were built by the Rapa Nui people between the 10th and 16th centuries to honor important ancestors and chiefs. The threat isn't unprecedented. In 1960, the largest earthquake ever recorded — a magnitude 9.5 off the coast of Chile — sent a tsunami surging across the Pacific. It struck Rapa Nui and swept the already-toppled moai further inland, which damaged some of their features. The monument was restored in the 1990s. While the study focuses on Rapa Nui, its conclusions echo a wider reality: cultural heritage sites worldwide are increasingly endangered by rising seas. A UNESCO report published last month found that about 50 World Heritage sites are highly exposed to coastal flooding. A UNESCO spokesperson said that relevant experts weren't immediately available for comment. Possible defenses for Ahu Tongariki range from armoring the coastline and building breakwaters to relocating the monuments. Paoa hopes that the findings will bring these conversations about now, rather than after irreversible damage. 'It's best to look ahead and be proactive instead of reactive to the potential threats,' he said. ___ Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram: @ahammergram ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit
