Climate

Did you know that stalagmites hold valuable information about the impact of global warming on the North Atlantic Ocean? As ice sheets continue to melt at an alarming rate, the discharge of meltwater weakens ocean currents and affects the climate and people worldwide. While observations from modern times are mostly too short, stalagmites, which can be dated using radiometric methods, provide an excellent climate archive. Join us for a talk on the insights provided by a stalagmite from the Northwest Iberian Speleothem Archive (NISA) about the past meltwater event “Heinrich 1” !

Oceanic ecosystems are major victims of climate change, along with other anthropogenic threats such as plastic pollution. For example, due to increasing sea temperatures and acidification, half of our coral reefs across the globe have been lost since 1950. As the climate crisis progresses, rising sea levels and increasing tropical storms will also render the ocean itself a threat. However, there is cause for hope: this talk will explore some of the exciting ocean-based solutions to climate crisis!