Thousands Of Meteorites Are Vanishing in Antarctica. Now Scientists Have Revealed Why.
A new study says that as many as 12,200 extraterrestrial meteorites sitting on the surface of Antarctica are disappearing every year.
The Debrief 2:24 pm on April 10, 2024
A study published in Nature Climate Change reveals that thousands of meteorites in Antarctica are disappearing at an alarming rate due to global temperature rise. Hundreds of thousands of meteorites, which provide valuable information about the early solar system and Earth's beginnings, could be lost by 2050. The dark color of meteorites exacerbates the situation as they absorb more solar energy and thaw ice faster than surrounding snow, causing them to sink beneath the surface. Around 1,000-1,200 meteorites are lost each year through this process.
- Thousands of Antarctic meteorites are disappearing due to global temperature rise.
- Meteorites provide valuable information about the early solar system and Earth's beginnings.
- Dark color of meteorites accelerates the melting process, causing them to sink beneath the surface.
- Approximately 1,000-1,200 meteorites are lost each year due to this process.
- To preserve most remaining unrecovered Antarctic meteorites, rapid reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is necessary.
https://thedebrief.org/thousands-of-meteorites-are-vanishing-in-antarctica-now-scientists-have-revealed-why/