ice

Svalbard: Glacier ice loss projected to roughly double by 2100

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Archive photos of the Norwegian archipelago’s glaciers enabled researchers to reconstruct past melting and project ice mass loss under future climate change Environment 19 January 2022 By Adam Vaughan A glacier in Svalbard as it appeared in 1936 (top) and in 2009 (below) Norwegian Polar Institute and Geyman et al. (2022), Nature Glaciers in Svalbard, … Read more

Tonga volcano: Massive eruption was a once-in-a-millennium event

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The underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption has already triggered a tsunami, a sonic boom and thousands of lightning bolts, and could now lead to acid rain Earth 17 January 2022 By Alice Klein Satellite photo of the eruption CIRA/NOAA/Handout via REUTERS The massive explosion of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in Tonga on Saturday was its … Read more

World’s largest fish breeding grounds found under the Antarctic ice | Science

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The most extensive and densely populated breeding colony of fish anywhere lurks deep underneath the ice of the Weddell Sea, scientists aboard an Antarctic research cruise have discovered. The 240 square kilometers of regularly spaced icefish nests, east of the Antarctic Peninsula, has astonished marine ecologists. “We had no idea that it would be just … Read more

Thawing Permafrost Is Poised to Unleash Havoc in The Arctic, Scientists Warn

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Thawing Arctic permafrost laden with billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases not only threatens the region’s critical infrastructure but life across the planet, according to a comprehensive scientific review.   Nearly 70 percent of the roads, pipelines, cities, and industry – mostly in Russia – built on the region’s softening ground are highly vulnerable to … Read more

What Antarctica’s ‘Doomsday’ Glacier Could Mean For The World

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The massive Thwaites glacier in West Antarctica contains enough ice to raise global sea levels by 65cm if it were to completely collapse. And, worryingly, recent research suggests that its long-term stability is doubtful as the glacier hemorrhages more and more ice.   Adding 65cm to global sea levels would be coastline-changing amounts. For context, … Read more

Polar Bears Keep Being Seen Hunting Reindeer, But There’s More to The Story

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Recently, scientists in Hornsund, Svalbard – a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic ocean – witnessed a polar bear pursuing a reindeer into the sea before killing it, dragging it ashore, and eating it.   The video that they captured was widely shared on news and social media platforms. Then, two days later, they saw the … Read more

Rare wispy ice formations streak across the sea near Antarctica in beautiful satellite images

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Strong winds and unusual ocean currents helped paint a breathtaking icescape on the surface of the ocean near Antarctica, and the rare phenomenon was recently captured in a stunning satellite image.  The incredible image was taken on Nov. 20 by the Operational Land Imager onboard Landsat 8, a collaboration between NASA and the U.S. Geological … Read more

Shockingly Abundant Life Found Thriving in Darkness Under an Antarctic Ice Shelf

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Deep under the ice of Antarctica’s Ekström Ice Shelf there is nothing but complete darkness. Well, complete darkness and a thriving ecosystem that’s existed for thousands of years, according to a new paper by researchers from the UK and Germany.   “This discovery of so much life living in these extreme conditions is a complete … Read more

Antarctica: Remarkable trove of species found living beneath ice shelf

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The variety of species found below an Antarctic ice shelf shows that life can survive in hostile, food-poor environments for thousands of years Environment 20 December 2021 By Adam Vaughan Hot water drilling in Antarctica Sophie Berger/AWI An astonishing variety of marine life has been discovered in the freezing darkness hundreds of metres below Antarctica’s … Read more

Astronomers Detect Secret Water Reserves in The Largest Canyon in The Solar System

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A vast system of canyons that dramatically scars the face of Mars could be harboring reserves of hidden water. An unusually high quantity of hydrogen has been detected in the heart of the 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) of canyons known as Valles Marineris, nicknamed the Grand Canyon of Mars. We know this thanks to new … Read more