NASA detects the appearance of a new island and warns that it is very bad news for everyone
The separation of Prow Knob Island in Alaska is highlighting a worrying change in the Atlantic and its consequences.
Climate change has been one of the most worrisome topics in science for years. The silent appearance of a new island in Alsek Lake, in a remote area of Alaska, is yet another example of how this change in temperatures and weather patterns is affecting the planet. This is the new island on Prow Knob (stop giggling at the back), which has been held in place for several months by the Alsek Glacier.
A recent study by NASA’s Earth Observatory documented how the island gradually calved from the glacier until it completely separated between mid-July and early August of this year. Global warming directly affects Arctic glaciers, and Alsek was no exception.
The first images of Prow Knob came to light 40 years ago with the melting of the Alsek Glacier. Gradually, rising temperatures revealed land previously hidden by ice, until it completely separated from the glacier. The island, almost 300 meters above the lake’s surface, has achieved the record for the highest lake island in the United States, surpassing the famous Wild Horse Island in Montana.
The appearance of the new island is yet another example of how climate change is affecting Arctic glaciers, but it is not the only consequence of rising temperatures. The transformation process in the Arctic involves not only the creation of new landscapes but also the destruction of existing ones.
The melting of glaciers in the areas surrounding the North Pole is leading to unprecedented fragility of slopes and fjords, and with it the risk of landslides and glacial tsunamis. A well-known case was the one that occurred in the Taan Fjord in 2015, one of the largest on record.
Related stories
The fragility of the slopes and fjords is no coincidence. According to a study by the University of Hamburg and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, published in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment, the Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.