Gorgeous Wolverine Glacier photos from the front lines of climate change research
Enjoy these views of Alaska's Wolverine Glacier while you can. Soon enough, they'll be relegated to a distant memory.
As Earth's climate shifts under the strain caused by human civilization, scientists have turned to one of the world's oldest natural wonders for answers: glaciers. Since 1966, researchers have been measuring how the mass of these dense pockets of ice and snow changes over time.
The Wolverine Glacier is one of several examples in Alaska that has been monitored for decades. According to a U.S. Geological Survey study published in 2016 – 50 years after measurements were first taken – the stats aren't great.
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The mass of the three glaciers under observation decreased during the study's first 50 years, and the rate of reduction accelerated sharply in the final 15 years of that stretch. There's also an increasing amount of water flowing through them as long-frozen ice melts – contributing to the reduction in mass.
There are plenty of data points that tell us global temperatures are rising, and this is one more. The USGS research continues even now, and these photos, taken early in September, showcase some of the natural Earthly beauty we're at risk of losing in the face of climate change denial.
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
