NASA's $1.5 billion NISAR satellite, launching soon, will monitor Earth's glaciers and could support interventions to halt their disintegration, crucial for coastal regions.
The NISAR satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation, will provide detailed images of the cryosphere every 12 days.
Glaciologists are exploring technological interventions, such as freezing glaciers in place, to slow down ice loss and mitigate sea-level rise.
The loss of the Thwaites Glacier could significantly impact global sea levels, posing a threat to coastal cities and low-lying areas worldwide.
Key quote:
"I’m not going to be satisfied simply documenting the demise of these environments that I care about."
— Brent Minchew, glaciologist at MIT
Why this matters:
Preventing glacier disintegration is vital to avoid dramatic sea-level rise that could displace millions and cause widespread ecological and economic damage. Interventions like those proposed offer potential solutions to manage this risk proactively.
Scientists have said climate breakdown caused by the burning of fossil fuels is the cause of unusually hot summers and winters with very low snow volume, which have caused the accelerating melts.
As the earth warms, glacial archaeologists are in a race against time to preserve objects before they are destroyed by the elements. Recent field work yielded a surprisingly intact 3,000-year-old arrow.
A cattle rancher, a vineyard owner and other British Columbians are speaking out on the ways temperature extremes and wildfires are changing their lives, businesses and hobbies.
A new peer-reviewed study on the Himalayas reveals the mountain glaciers disappeared 65% faster between 2011 and 2020 compared to the previous decade, threatening its population and species.
The world's massive ice sheets and glaciers are melting as climate change raises temperatures. Scientists warn that disappearing ice is having surprising and far-reaching effects.
