Glaciology is the scientific discipline devoted to the study of snow, ice, and glaciers as physical systems within the cryosphere. It examines the formation, metamorphism, and rheology of ice, the mass balance and dynamics of glaciers and ice sheets, and their interactions with atmosphere, oceans, lithosphere, and climate. Glaciological research employs field observations, remote sensing, geophysical surveying, ice-core analysis, and numerical modeling to quantify processes such as ice flow, basal sliding, calving, and meltwater production. The field is central to understanding sea-level change, paleoclimate reconstruction, freshwater resources, and feedbacks in the global climate system.
Switzerland's glaciers, which are disproportionately impacted by climate change, have lost nearly 20% of their mass in five years, experts said Thursday, with 2026 registering the second-biggest melt on record.
Environment
12 hours ago
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Switzerland's glaciers lost more than 5% of their ice volume in 2026. Although melt rates did not quite reach the record levels of 2022, glacier thickness decreased by an average of 2.5 to 4 meters (8 to 13 feet) this year, ...
Earth Sciences
20 hours ago
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Over a century ago, Australian geologist Sir Douglas Mawson led a sledding expedition over hundreds of kilometers of ice into a remote part of East Antarctica. The party turned back after the tragic death of a party member. ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 30, 2026
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Although Mars may have once resembled Earth, the rocky red planet now appears far from hospitable. Still, certain details—such as ice-bound water—pique researchers' curiosity. As on Earth, ice on Mars contains valuable records ...
Astrobiology
Sep 30, 2026
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Three much-loved glaciers in British Columbia are set to disappear completely within a few decades, according to a Simon Fraser University study.
Earth Sciences
Sep 29, 2026
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Each summer, researchers from Hokkaido University returned to the Qaanaaq Ice Cap in northwestern Greenland to measure changes in the ice surface using aluminum poles drilled into the ice. Their 13-year record shows how the ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 18, 2026
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Mount Timpanogos, towering 7,000 feet (2,100 meters) above Utah Valley, is more than an iconic view and beloved hiking destination. Snowmelt from mountains like these provides about 95% of Utah's water supply. Hotter, drier ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 18, 2026
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The longest satellite record ever assembled shows that Greenland and Antarctica have lost 11.3 trillion metric tons of ice since the 1970s, raising global sea level by more than 3 centimeters (1.2 inches)—and that most of ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 16, 2026
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The massive and deadly floods on the Nepal–Tibet border are a stark reminder of why the world needs to constantly update its understanding of the fragile ecosystem in the Himalayas.
Environment
Sep 11, 2026
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Dozens of glacial lakes have formed across northern India in the last three decades, while existing lakes have expanded rapidly, highlighting the need to monitor a landscape reshaped by climate change.
Earth Sciences
Sep 10, 2026
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