Tag Archive for ‘Darwin’

Why mud matters

Why should we study glaciers that no longer exist? And why should we examine the sediments they leave behind? We currently cannot predict the future behaviour of glaciers and icefields with much certainty because our records of glacier change are limited. But changes to the World’s ice sheets will have a huge impact on our own future – shrinking icefields threaten water supplies, whilst the meltwater they produce puts the lives of downstream communities at risk of catastrophic flood, and contributes towards sea level rise.