Climate Change Threatens Antarctic Meteorites, Imperiling Cosmic Insights

Rising temperatures are causing thousands of meteorites to sink into Antarctic ice, with significant losses expected by 2050.

For every 0.1°C rise in global air temperature, nearly 9,000 meteorites may disappear from Antarctica's ice surfaces.
By 2050, up to three-quarters of the estimated 300,000 to 800,000 meteorites could be lost due to accelerated ice melt.
Antarctica, home to about 60% of all meteorites found on Earth, faces significant challenges in preserving these extraterrestrial samples.
Researchers emphasize the urgent need to boost recovery efforts and explore uncharted meteorite stranding zones.
Long-term preservation of meteorites hinges on global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.