The highest glacier in the world is melting at an alarming rate. And as the warmer temperatures rise, it could eventually lead to the collapse of the world’s tallest mountain.
“We are very disappointed to have detected microplastics in our data. While we do not know yet the origins of these particles, it is a concern for us that they could have been present in the ice core,” said Nicolas Vernet, lead author, and glaciologist at the University of Maine, in a press release.
“While it is likely that they have nothing to do with climate change, we are doing some follow-up experiments to better understand what kind of materials these microplastics are made of.”
This is something that people in Nepal are now worried about. In fact, in May, a study by the University of Zurich was published, which stated that the Mount Everest glacier has lost half of its ice since, and while the mountain is still very much intact, it may be in a precarious position in the coming years.
According to the study, the temperature on the surface of the glacier is rising by Degrees Celsius every year. And if this continues, the researchers believe that the glacier could lose 80 percent of its ice within the next 100 years. The glacier is also shrinking at a rapid rate. But the researchers were surprised to find out that the rate of decline is even faster than they thought it would be.
Source: CNET
