From sediment cores to speleothems, environmental archives are helping us to understand the history of wildfires.
speleothems
Posted inNews
Wisconsin Stalagmite Records North American Warming
A speleothem has revealed rapid periods of warming across the interior of the continent during the last glacial period, corresponding to similar events recorded in Greenland ice.
Posted inNews
Stalagmites Show Evidence of Prolonged Droughts in India
A new study using oxygen isotopes reconstructs a prolonged record of India’s summer monsoons, showing much greater variability than modern data sets.
Posted inNews
Holy Water: Miracle Accounts and Proxy Data Tell a Climate Story
In 6th century Italy, saints were said to perform an unusual number of water miracles. Paleoclimatological data from a stalagmite may reveal why.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Stalagmite Layers Reveal Hidden Climate Stories
A global investigation discovers where annually laminated stalagmites are found, analyzes their growth properties, and explains how they can be best used in Earth science research.
Posted inScience Updates
Improving Access to Paleoclimate Data
Paleoclimate databases are powerful tools for improving climate models. The recent work of speleothem researchers offers lessons on creating a lasting database and fostering the needed mindset.
Posted inNews
Sooty Layers in Stalagmites Record Human Activity in Caves
Scientists analyzing cave formations in Turkey find layers of soot and charcoal in stalagmites, revealing that humans—and their fires—occupied caves thousands of years ago.
Posted inNews
Taíno Stilt Houses May Have Been an Adaptation to Climate Change
A coastal village in the Caribbean flourished during a period of increased hurricanes. Research suggests the Taíno designed their dwellings to persist through the greater storm surges.
Posted inNews
Past Seasons Hidden Underground
Belgian paleoclimatologists study a fast-growing stalagmite to glean insight into seasonal climate from centuries past.
Posted inNews
Megadrought Helped Topple the Assyrian Empire
Paleoclimate records shed light on the ancient civilization’s meteoric rise and catastrophic collapse.