Scientists discover ancient lake bed deep beneath Greenland ice

The ancient lake bed, sealed more than a mile under Greenland ice, may be hundreds of thousands or millions of years old, and contain unique fossil and chemical traces of past climates and life. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/ancient-lake-bed-deep-beneath-greenland-ice…

Why Arctic sea ice has stalled, and what it means for the rest of the world

In the next few decades, scientists expect we’ll see an ice-free Arctic Ocean throughout the summer. That prospect got much closer in 2020, due in part to the exceptional summer heatwave that roiled the Russian Arctic. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/why-arctic-winter-sea-ice-stalled-2020…

The Arctic hasn’t been this warm for 3 million years

The last time CO2 concentrations reached today’s level was 3 million years ago, during the Pliocene Epoch. Hear from geoscientists who see evolving conditions in the Arctic as an indicator of how climate change could transform the planet. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/arctic-warmest-3-million-years…

Pluto’s snowcapped mountains are unlike any on Earth

A new study shows how methane snow accumulates on Pluto’s mountain peaks. These snowcaps – first seen by New Horizons in 2015 – look a lot like ones on Earth, but form in a very alien environment. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/methane-snowcapped-mountains-on-pluto-new-horizons…

Greenland’s Ice Melting Faster Than At Any Time In Past 12,000 Years

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Greenland’s ice is starting to melt faster than at any time in the past 12,000 years, research has shown, which will raise sea levels and could have a marked impact on ocean currents. New measurements show the rate of melting matches any in the geological record for the Holocene period — defined…

Watch for Mars and the full Harvest Moon

The Northern Hemisphere’s Harvest Moon is always the full moon falling the closest to the autumnal equinox. It’s coming up in 2020 on October 1 or 2. What’s more, this Harvest Moon will be near Mars! Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/full-harvest-moon-on-october-1-2020…

Liquid Water on Mars? New Research Indicates Buried ‘Lakes’

The existence of liquid water on Mars — one of the more hotly debated matters about our cold, red neighbor — is looking increasingly likely. From a report: New research published Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy indicates there really is a buried reservoir of super-salty water near the south pole of the planet. Scientists say such a lake would significantly…