In 6th century Italy, saints were said to perform an unusual number of water miracles. Paleoclimatological data from a stalagmite may reveal why.
Speleothems
Posted inEditors' Vox
Stalagmite Layers Reveal Hidden Climate Stories
A global investigation discovers where annually laminated stalagmites are found, analyzes their growth properties, and explains how they can be best used in Earth science research.
Posted inScience Updates
Improving Access to Paleoclimate Data
Paleoclimate databases are powerful tools for improving climate models. The recent work of speleothem researchers offers lessons on creating a lasting database and fostering the needed mindset.
Posted inNews
Sooty Layers in Stalagmites Record Human Activity in Caves
Scientists analyzing cave formations in Turkey find layers of soot and charcoal in stalagmites, revealing that humans—and their fires—occupied caves thousands of years ago.
Posted inNews
Taíno Stilt Houses May Have Been an Adaptation to Climate Change
A coastal village in the Caribbean flourished during a period of increased hurricanes. Research suggests the Taíno designed their dwellings to persist through the greater storm surges.
Posted inNews
Past Seasons Hidden Underground
Belgian paleoclimatologists study a fast-growing stalagmite to glean insight into seasonal climate from centuries past.
Posted inNews
Megadrought Helped Topple the Assyrian Empire
Paleoclimate records shed light on the ancient civilization’s meteoric rise and catastrophic collapse.
Posted inNews
The Akkadian Empire—Felled by Dust?
Chemical measurements of a stalagmite from a cave in Iran reveal a large uptick in dust activity in northern Mesopotamia roughly 4,200 years ago, coincident with the decline of the Akkadian Empire.
Posted inNews
Subterranean Caverns Hold Clues to Past Droughts
Cave formations offer highly resolved paleoclimate data that scientists plan to use to reconstruct California's ancient patterns of drought.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Cave "Breathing" Affects Mineral Growth and Climate Clues
A new global model suggests how and where air flow in caves affects the growth of cave mineral deposits that scientists use to reconstruct ancient climates.