New observations reveal how microscopic organisms move through polar ice and illustrate how they may have evolved to thrive in extreme environments.
glaciers & ice sheets
Posted inEditors' Vox
How Glacial Forebulges Shape the Seas and Shake the Earth
A glacial forebulge is a bending-related upheaval of the lithosphere that has a strong effect on the sea level change pattern and on lithospheric stresses, which can induce intraplate earthquakes.
Posted inNews
A Fiber-Optic Cable Eavesdrops on a Calving Glacier
A glass thread strung along the bottom of a fjord captured the entire process of calving, from the cracking of ice to the breakup of bergs.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Underwater Glacier-Guarding Walls Could Have Unintended Consequences
Although they would likely impede the warm currents that melt glaciers, such walls would also likely block fish migration and nutrient upwelling, harming marine ecosystems and Greenland fisheries.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Strong Tides Speed Melting of Antarctic Ice Shelves
Ocean currents along the underside of the ice are a major control over melting.
Posted inNews
A Burst of Subglacial Water Cracked the Greenland Ice Sheet
When a lake beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet drained, its water burst through the ice sheet’s surface. This surprising event may have affected the movement of a nearby glacier.
Posted inResearch & Developments
Glacial Lake Outburst Causes Record River Crest in Juneau
The Mendenhall River in Juneau, Alaska, reached a record-breaking crest Wednesday morning thanks to a glacial outburst flood (GLOF) from Suicide Basin. At 16.65 feet, the crest exceeded the previous record flood stage of 15.99 feet in 2024.
Posted inNews
Arctic Ice Shelf Theory Challenged by Ancient Algae
Chemical signatures of marine organisms reveal that seasonal sea ice, not a massive ice shelf, persisted in the southern Arctic Ocean for 750,000 years.
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Updates from the Alaska Earthquake Center regarding the 10 August 2025 landslide
The location of this major event has now been identified. It was a major rock slope failure that ran out across the South Sawyer Glacier. The Alaska Earthquake Center has now provided a detailed update about the 10 August 2025 landslide that occurred in the area of Tracy Arm. This work has been led by […]
Posted inOpinions
Glacier Monitoring from Space Is Crucial, and at Risk
A new community effort shows that Earth has lost 5% of its global glacier mass since 2000. The work highlights the necessity of spaceborne glacier observations and upcoming gaps in long-term monitoring.