Permafrost is a layer of soil, rock, or sediment that remains frozen for two or more consecutive years, predominantly found in polar regions such as Siberia, Alaska, and Canada, as well as in high mountain areas worldwide. It can extend several meters below the surface and plays a critical role in the Earth’s climate system by storing large amounts of organic carbon. When permafrost thaws due to rising temperatures, it can release significant amounts of greenhouse gases, including methane and carbon dioxide, which contribute to global warming. The thawing of permafrost also affects ecosystems and human infrastructure, leading to the destabilization of buildings, roads, and other structures. Moreover, permafrost regions are biologically diverse, supporting unique flora and fauna adapted to extreme conditions. The study of permafrost is crucial for understanding and predicting climate change impacts and developing adaptation strategies for affected communities.
Experts from AWI have not discovered any evidence of a global climate tipping point related to permafrost; instead, they observe that permafrost soils are thawing…
Research indicates that permafrost-collapsed areas emit significantly more CO2 in response to climate warming than in non-collapsed areas, with implications for global carbon cycle dynamics….
In Alaska, streams are turning orange as permafrost thaws. Scientists are keenly aware that losing permafrost—the year-round frozen ground prevalent across the Arctic—generally does not…
Funding challenges and complexity have kept permafrost processes out of models that inform global climate targets. The way science is funded is hampering Earth System…
Scientists say vast quantities of methane may be trapped beneath the permafrost, and it could escape if it thaws. Studies in Svalbard have shown that…
Most of Earth’s near-surface permafrost could disappear by 2100, according to an international group of scientists. This prediction was made after analyzing current climate patterns…
Digital simulation suggests a small percentage of pathogens could cause significant ecological damage. According to a new study, ancient pathogens released from melting permafrost have…
Genome analysis shows new nematode species shares molecular toolkit for survival with C. elegans. A study reveals a nematode reanimated from Siberian permafrost had remained…
Computer simulation shows the release of only 1% of dormant pathogens could cause major environmental damage and the widespread loss of host organisms around the…
An international research team shows that a newly discovered nematode species from the Pleistocene share a molecular toolkit for survival with the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans….
Across the planet, ice is rapidly disappearing. From mountain tops, the poles, the seas, and the tundra. As the ice melts, it’s exposing new surfaces,…
The Siberian Arctic experienced an unusual number of fires in 2019 and 2020. This raised concerns in the scientific community, as the Arctic has large…
Scientists are turning to a combination of data collected from the air, land, and space to get a more complete picture of how climate change…
When considering the implications of thawing permafrost, our initial worries are likely to turn to the major issue of methane being released into the atmosphere…
New research from UMass Amherst shines light on poorly understood processes of how carbon dissolved in Arctic rivers affects our world. In a pair of…
Areas with ground temperatures that remain below 0°C for more than two years are referred to as permafrost, and approximately one-quarter of the Northern Hemisphere…
Bdelloid rotifers are multicellular animals so small you need a microscope to see them. Despite their size, they’re known for being tough, capable of surviving…
Study finds Earth’s frozen surfaces became less susceptible to thawing, potentially locking in more carbon than expected. Nearly one quarter of the land in the…