Everest's Icy Mystery: Scientists Race to Uncover Why Glaciers Are on Thin Ice

A team of scientists from the University of Leeds and Aberystwyth University will set out on a crucial expedition to Mount Everest later this month to discover why one of the mountain's most iconic glaciers is perilously close to melting. The trek will be to the Western Cwm, where scientists suspect...

A team of scientists from the University of Leeds and Aberystwyth University will set out on a crucial expedition to Mount Everest later this month to discover why one of the mountain's most iconic glaciers is perilously close to melting. The trek will be to the Western Cwm, where scientists suspect intense sun radiation is melting snow even when air temperatures are below zero. The effect could have disastrous consequences for glaciers right across the entire Himalayas, which supply crucial water supplies to millions of people throughout the region. The scientists will drill into the glacier above 6,000 meters above sea level, in abysmal conditions and with enormous logistical challenges. The results could greatly enhance our knowledge of glacier behavior and have implications for future climate adaptation policy. Source: Everest News Network