Mount Everest's highest glacier is losing decades' worth of ice every year, scientists warn
CBSN
Melting on Mount Everest's highest glacier is occurring at an alarming pace, according to a study published Thursday by a University of Maine-led research team. The team's findings suggested that ice that had taken decades to accumulate was melting away each year, jeopardizing both climbers and those who depend on the glacier for drinking water and irrigation.
Though studies on the impacts of climate change are common, little work has been done on the melting of mountain glaciers in the highest parts of the world. In early 2019, National Geographic and Rolex's Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition began "the most comprehensive scientific investigation" ever attempted in the area, according to a press release about the study. As part of that expedition, the scientists obtained the highest-ever ice core and established the world's two highest automatic weather stations.
By studying the ice core, taken from the South Col Glacier, as well as data from weather stations and satellite imagery, the researchers found that effects of climate change had not just reached the top of the highest mountain in the world, but had significantly altered its landscape in the last two decades. Crucially, the researchers found that the South Col Glacier has lost its snowpack — a thick covering of snow over the hard ice of the glacier — which accelerated the melting process.
On May 7, health influencer Paul Saladino, M.D.. posted a video to his X account that promoted feeding "raw dairy" to infants. The post received over 90,000 views and sparked strong backlash before it was removed the following day. Saladino regularly advocates for "animal-based" diets featuring raw milk, including on his TikTok channel where he has over half a million followers.
Everywhere you look, things are getting more complicated. Our phones have over a thousand settings. Showerheads come with apps. Cars have touchscreens. Ovens have touchscreens. "There's no doubt that 'featuritis' is real," said design consultant Jakob Nielsen. "Most of these things are too complicated."
New research is adding to the evidence linking ultra-processed foods to health concerns. The study tracked people's habits over 30 years and found those who reported eating more of certain ultra-processed foods had a slightly higher risk of death — with four categories of foods found to be the biggest culprits.