Latest news with #glaciers
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Turkey's glaciers fall victim to climate change
Kemal Ozdemir looked up at the bare peaks of Mount Cilo in Turkey's Kurdish majority southeast: "There were glaciers 10 years ago," he recalled under a cloudless sky. A mountain guide for 15 years, Ozdemir then turned toward the torrent carrying dozens of blocks of ice below a slope covered with grass and rocks -- a sign of glacier loss being exacerbated by global warming. "You can see that there are quite a few pieces of glacier in the water right now... the reason why the waterfalls flow lushly actually shows us how fast the ice is melting," he said. The glaciers of Mount Cilo, which rises to 4,135 meters in the province of Hakkari on the Iraqi border, are the second largest in the country behind those of Mount Ararat (5,137 meters ) -- 250 kilometres (155 miles) further north. As global temperatures rise amid human-caused climate change, new sections of the mountains that were once capped in ice are melting fast year after year. Turkey, which is experiencing heatwaves and drought, even registered a record temperature of 50.5C on Friday in Silopi, some 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Hakkari. "The melting process is faster than we expected. According to our research, in the last 40 years, we lost almost 50 percent of this continuous snow and ice cover in this place," said Onur Satir, a professor at Yuzuncu Yil University and specialist in geographical information systems in the eastern province of Van. -'No way to cover the ice'- "Some places melt faster than other places, so actually it's showing us which places must be protected but we have no opportunity to cover the whole ice area," Satir said. In recent years, several glaciers in the Alps have been covered with white tarpaulins in an attempt to delay their demise. According to the United Nations, glaciers in several regions of the world will not survive the 21st century, threatening the water supply of hundreds of millions of people. The surrounding landscape is a delight for hikers, many of whom have flocked to the Hakkari mountains since the guns fell silent in recent years in the region, where fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have long challenged the Turkish state. The ongoing peace process with the PKK listed as a terror group by Turkey and its Western allies suggests that tourism will accelerate in the area, which became a national park in 2020. -'Don't walk on the ice'- But melting ice has made certain areas dangerous. In July 2023, two hikers were killed when they were swept away by a block that broke off from a glacier. "People should not walk on the ice," Ozdemir warned, voicing concerns about the safety of hikers and the preservation of glaciers. "This region is 40-50 kilometres away from the city, but there was no road in the past. Now, with the construction of the road, more vehicles are coming here and the increase in the number of people coming here actually accelerates the melting a little bit," said the 38-year-old guide. A UN report on desertification worldwide estimates that 88 percent of Turkey's territory is at risk: rainfall is expected to decrease by 30 percent by the end of the century, while temperatures are expected to rise by 5 to 6C compared to the averages recorded between 1961 and 1990. ii-rba/fo/giv
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers issue warning over troubling phenomenon that could revive dormant volcanoes: 'It's just like opening a Coca-Cola bottle'
Researchers issue warning over troubling phenomenon that could revive dormant volcanoes: 'It's just like opening a Coca-Cola bottle' As ice caps melt, researchers warn that dormant volcanoes could erupt — and the ripple effects could hit closer to home than you think. What's happening? Scientists say melting glaciers might do more than raise sea levels — they could also stir sleeping giants beneath the Earth's surface, according to Inside Climate News. At a recent science conference in Prague, researchers presented findings showing that shrinking glaciers can trigger volcanic eruptions. A team supported by the National Science Foundation analyzed six volcanoes in the Chilean Andes and found that, thousands of years ago, volcanoes became more active as the last ice age ended. The reason? Less weight holding down the magma. "When you take the load off, it's just like opening a Coca-Cola bottle or a champagne bottle," said Brad Singer, a geologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, per ICN. This shift doesn't just apply to the Andes — scientists warn that as ice sheets continue to retreat in places like Alaska, Iceland, and Antarctica, once-quiet volcanoes could come roaring back to life. Why are these findings concerning? Volcanic eruptions aren't just dramatic — they can be dangerous and far-reaching. Ash can ground planes, contaminate water, and choke crops. If one erupts during another extreme event — such as a heat wave, wildfire, or severe storm — it could overwhelm already strained systems. That's not all that melting ice is changing. Higher tides are worsening flooding during storms, and shifting temperatures are expanding the range of mosquitoes that spread disease. While extreme weather events aren't new, scientists have found that human activity is making many of them more intense — almost like putting extreme weather on steroids. What's being done about it? Scientists are working on better ways to monitor volcanoes and spot warning signs earlier, but preparation doesn't stop with research. Cities are making changes on the ground — from planting more trees to cool neighborhoods, to updating infrastructure and emergency plans. And plenty of groups are stepping up in creative ways. Re:wild is protecting wild spaces that absorb carbon, and Trashie is helping people recycle everything from old sneakers to worn-out clothes instead of sending them to landfills. You, too, can make a difference by exploring critical climate issues. Cutting back on food waste, switching to reusable products, and supporting clean transportation are all great ways to make a difference at home. Do you worry about companies drilling too deep into the ground? Definitely Depends on what it's for Only if it's near my home Not really Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Sustainability Times
4 days ago
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'This Proves We've Been Lied To': Alien-Like World Discovered Beneath Antarctica Fuels Explosive Rift Between Scientists and Truth-Seekers
IN A NUTSHELL 🌍 Scientists have discovered ancient, river-carved landscapes hidden beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. hidden beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. 🧊 These preserved surfaces act as natural barriers, influencing the flow of glaciers and potentially moderating ice loss. act as natural barriers, influencing the flow of glaciers and potentially moderating ice loss. 🔬 The research, led by Durham University, utilized radar data to map these features, revealing their vast extent and impact on ice dynamics. to map these features, revealing their vast extent and impact on ice dynamics. 🌡️ Understanding these landscapes is crucial for improving predictive models of future sea-level rise in response to climate change. Recent discoveries beneath the vast, icy expanse of Antarctica have uncovered a hidden world that could reshape our understanding of ice flow dynamics and future sea-level predictions. A team of researchers from Durham University and other global institutions has identified ancient landscapes beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. These landscapes, shaped by rivers millions of years ago, are now influencing the movement of glaciers, potentially altering how we forecast ice loss and its impact on global sea levels. This groundbreaking research offers a new lens through which to observe the frozen continent's past and its implications for our warming world. Revealing the Ancient River-Carved Surfaces The ancient landscapes discovered beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet extend over an impressive 2,175-mile stretch along the continent's coast. These flat surfaces, believed to have been sculpted by rivers before Antarctica became ice-covered around 34 million years ago, now lie buried under the ice. The research team utilized radar data to map these features, revealing their vast expanse and intricate details. What makes these surfaces so significant is their influence on current glacier flow. While deep troughs guide the movement of fast-flowing glaciers, the flat areas act as natural barriers, slowing down the ice flow. This discovery suggests that these surfaces could play a crucial role in moderating ice loss, providing new insights into predicting future changes in sea levels. Incorporating these findings into predictive models can enhance our understanding of how the East Antarctic Ice Sheet may respond to climate change, offering a more accurate assessment of potential sea-level rises. 'This Sensor Sees the Unseeable': NASA's Quantum Gravity Tech Set to Revolutionize Earth Monitoring With Unmatched Precision A Remarkably Preserved Landscape The preservation of these landscapes is nothing short of remarkable. For over 30 million years, these surfaces have remained largely undisturbed, suggesting that the ice sheet has protected rather than eroded the terrain beneath. Dr. Guy Paxman, the lead author of the study, highlights the enigmatic nature of this sub-ice terrain, noting that its preservation offers a unique glimpse into Earth's geological history. These flat surfaces, which span roughly 40% of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet's coastal region, provide critical insights into the dynamics of ice flow. Understanding their shape and geological features is key to improving our ability to forecast the ice sheet's behavior in response to different climate scenarios. This research not only unravels the mysteries of the past but also equips scientists with the knowledge needed to predict future changes more accurately. 'Humanity's Red Dawn Is Here': Scientists Claim Terraforming Mars Is Now Possible, Unveiling Astonishing Plans for This Bold New Frontier International Collaboration and Methodology This pioneering study is a testament to the power of international collaboration, involving experts from universities and research institutions across the globe, including the UK, Germany, and China. By pooling resources and expertise, the team was able to piece together the jigsaw puzzle of data to reveal the bigger picture of how these ancient landscapes formed and their impact on current ice dynamics. The methodology involved analyzing radar data to map the ice thickness and underlying features. By doing so, researchers could identify the flat surfaces and their distribution beneath the ice. This comprehensive approach not only deepens our understanding of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet but also sets the stage for further exploration. Future studies aim to drill through the ice to retrieve rock samples from these surfaces, providing a more detailed timeline of their history and helping to predict how the ice sheet will evolve in a warming world. 'This Jet Will Shatter Laws of Physics and Privacy': X-59 Sparks Outrage as NASA Pushes Supersonic Silence into Civilian Skies Implications for Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise The implications of these findings are far-reaching, particularly in the context of climate change and sea-level rise. If the East Antarctic Ice Sheet were to melt entirely, it could raise global sea levels by up to 170 feet. Understanding the role of these river-carved surfaces in moderating ice flow is crucial for developing accurate predictive models. As global temperatures rise, the stability of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet becomes increasingly uncertain. By incorporating the influence of these ancient landscapes into climate models, scientists can better predict how the ice sheet will respond to warming and the subsequent effects on global sea levels. This research is a critical step toward a more comprehensive understanding of Antarctica's role in the climate system and highlights the urgent need for continued exploration and study. The discovery of hidden landscapes beneath Antarctica's ice offers a new perspective on the continent's geological history and its implications for future sea-level changes. As researchers continue to explore these ancient terrains, the knowledge gained will be invaluable in shaping climate policy and mitigation strategies. How will this newfound understanding of Antarctica's past influence our approach to addressing the challenges of climate change in the coming decades? This article is based on verified sources and supported by editorial technologies. Did you like it? 4.6/5 (28)
CBC
5 days ago
- Science
- CBC
As Canada's thickest glaciers melt, Yukon First Nations wonder what will happen if they disappear
Ron Chambers understands the power of the St. Elias glaciers, because he's experienced it first-hand. He felt it when he camped next to Logan glacier during one of his trips into the vast St. Elias mountain range that extends from the southwestern coast of Alaska inland to the border of Kluane National Park in the Yukon. "We heard huge booming sounds travelling down through the glacier. We also heard sounds like motors, we thought airplanes were coming and nothing showed up. And it was the sounds that the glacier was making." Chambers is a Champagne and Aishihik First Nations citizen and served as the park warden for Kluane National Park for 22 years. He was also the first Yukoner and First Nations man to summit Mount Logan, Canada's highest peak, deep in the St. Elias range in 1975. Now, he says he wants to raise awareness about what's happening to the glaciers that lie just beyond his home. "Even looking out my window in Haines Junction there's a small glacier on the mountains just in front of me — and some of those are disappearing pretty directly," he said. For generations, glaciers in the St. Elias mountain range have shaped the lives of the First Nations people that lived next to them, but human activity is also changing the glaciers. Today, those glaciers are melting at rapid rates due to climate change and local First Nations have been left wondering what their future could look like if the glaciers disappear. For two weeks this July, researchers stayed at the Kluane Lake Research Station on the outskirts of Kluane National Park to study how the glaciers are changing as they melt. Luke Copland, a professor at the University of Ottawa, has been studying these glaciers for almost 20 years. He says he's watched some of them get smaller and smaller each year. "The big ones will be around for a long time — many, many centuries into the future. But these really small ones, those ones are melting away really quickly," Copland said. "And you project that another century there won't be any [glaciers] left of that kind of size." Climate change affecting glacier movement The St. Elias mountain range is home to the largest non-polar icefields in the world. Those icefields are made up of multiple glaciers, which wind through the mountain range like arteries, supplying water to rivers and lakes. The glaciers are dynamic, they can surge forward and retreat, altering the landscape as they move and creating a lasting impact on local ecosystems and communities. Copland wants to understand how glacier motion is being affected by climate change, because that could have an impact on nearby communities in the short term. Glaciers could advance or retreat more rapidly, or more slowly, as they continue to melt, he says. Local communities are already seeing the effects of rapid climate-induced melting. In 2016, warm weather caused the Kaskawulsh glacier to melt even more quickly, creating a gorge. The gorge diverted the water away from the Ä'äy Chù, or Slims River, which feeds Kluane Lake. Since then, water levels in the lake have dropped by a metre. Alyce Johnson, a Kluane First Nation elder and teacher, says she's worried about how chum salmon in Kluane Lake are being affected by lower water levels. "Chum come from the ocean and they come all the way here to the end of this lake. That's where they spawn," she said. "And so with the decrease of water flowing through, that impacts the fish." Glaciers intertwined with Yukon First Nations culture Johnson says her people's stories "live in the glacial system." "The glacial system is a resource. It's a body of water, of frozen lands that are still there that were used as transportation routes," she said. "In our oral histories, our grandmothers talk about going to potlatches or going to a funeral … they would come across the glaciers." Johnson wonders what will happen if in another century some of the glaciers her ancestors once travelled across no longer exist. "How does that impact the language? How does it impact our culture?" she said. "It's going to change, you know, because we rely on that water, we rely on having that relationship to the land." John Fingland, a Champagne and Aishihik First Nations citizen and historian says his nation also has stories and lessons related to the glaciers. This summer, he's been sharing those stories with youth in his community. Despite his understanding of glaciers' importance to Champagne and Aishihik First Nations culture, Fingland says he's not afraid of what could happen if the glaciers disappear. "When you study history, you realize that everything is change…. Our culture is adaptation to change," Fingland said. "When you stand on the glacier that's right beside Mount Logan, you're more than 1,000 meters above the bottom of the valley. And so I'm like, this won't happen in my lifetime, but at some point, if that all melts out, there's a whole other world." Local melting has global ramifications Local communities may be most directly affected by melting glaciers in the St. Elias mountain range, but as these massive icefields melt, researchers say the impacts could be felt around the world. "Globally, about one quarter of all melt coming from glaciers and ice caps – so this excludes ice sheets – is coming from the mountains in this area," said Copland. For Copland and other researchers, a priority now is to take long-term measurements and document what's happening locally, and then apply that to understanding the bigger picture. "The message is that the glaciers are important to everything, locally and globally," Copland said. For Johnson, Chambers and Fingland, it's also about telling others why the glaciers matter. "It's important for glaciologists to come in, understand the stories, understand the landscape, and build that relationship with the Southern Tutchone people and those of us that reside here," Johnson said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Tropical country suffers unprecedented loss that scientists warned about decades ago: 'All that is just a memory'
Tropical country suffers unprecedented loss that scientists warned about decades ago: 'All that is just a memory' The evidence of rising global temperatures is all around us. In Mérida, Venezuela, a city once known for icy snow, the last remaining glacier has shrunk to the size of what scientists call an ice field — making Venezuela, as of 2023, the first country to lose all of its glaciers. What's happening? According to Mongabay, Sierra Nevada de Mérida National Park was once home to over 10 notable glaciers, though their sizes began to decrease in the 19th century, and plummeted much quicker in the 1960s onward. At 75, José Betancourt has summited various glaciers in the park hundreds of times as a guide, mountaineer, and Mérida local. "I would not admit that the glaciers of our Sierra Nevada were going to melt," Betancourt told Mongabay, referencing his heyday summiting the glaciers. La Carona, the last remaining glacier in Venezuela, was once a feat of nature, spanning over 1,100 acres. Now, it's down to less than 5 acres, or about the distance of two football fields. Why is the glacier loss important? Increased temperatures and decreased precipitation in the area are the causes for the diminishing glaciers. Around the world, glaciers can be seen dwindling in hordes, directly linked to the effects of human activity on the planet. With 2024 being the hottest recorded year and with scientists expecting the next five years to continue stealing that record, melting glaciers are the visual embodiment of what is happening to the planet. Betancourt, reflecting on his life and mountaineering, told Mongabay: "We all knew Mérida as the city of 'the eternal snows.' But now, all that is just a memory." What can I do to help slow the rate of lost glaciers? Melting glaciers can be directly tied to increasing temperatures. While fluctuations in temperature and weather have always occurred, the excessive record temperatures, as well as increased natural disasters, point to human activity, such as the burning of dirty fuels. Though government interference in Venezuela attempted to protect the glaciers, almost all environmental experts found their action impulsive and ineffective. In order to promote environmental protection on a large scale in your nation, vote to elect pro-climate candidates. Furthermore, by educating yourself on critical climate issues, you can better understand how actions in your daily life contribute to environmental destruction and find ways to reroute. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
