Energy, Resources and the Environment

First evidence of microplastics on mountain glaciers

Maria Rubal Thomsen April 19, 2019

A stunning photo of Forni Glacier. A new study has found evidence of microplastic contamination on this alpine glacier. (Credit: Marcobarci via Wikimedia Commons)

We tend to think of glaciers as spotless pristine settings. But “if plastic is everywhere, why not on the surface of glaciers?” This occurred to Roberto Sergio Azzoni, a professor of environmental science and policy at the University of Milan in Italy, who decided to find the answer to this question for himself. At the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna, Azzoni and his team pres ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Exploring the underground cryosphere

Olivia Trani March 11, 2019

Underground cryosphere. Credit: Renato R. Colucci (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

The winter season is a good time to take advantage of cold weather activities, whether that’s hitting the ski slopes or warming up by a fire, but for Renato R. Colucci, it’s also one of the best time’s to study the Earth’s underground cryosphere. Colucci, who took this featured photograph, is a researcher at Italian Institute for Marine Sciences (ISMAR) of the National Research Council (CNR) and i ...[Read More]

Make your EGU 2019 experience more environmentally friendly

Olivia Trani March 5, 2019

The EGU is implementing a number of initiatives towards minimising the General Assembly’s carbon footprint. Today we’ve compiled a few of the ways the EGU is working to make your conference experience more environmentally friendly, and how you can help.(Credit: EGU / Foto Pfluegl)

The annual EGU General Assembly, the largest geoscience conference in Europe, attracts more than 15,000 attendees to Vienna, Austria every year. With such a large number of participants, many flying to the Austrian capital to attend, the meeting has a large environmental impact. Given this, the EGU is implementing a number of initiatives towards minimising the General Assembly’s carbon footprint. ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Patterns in the peatland

Mélina Guêné-Nanchen March 4, 2019

Northern carbon sink. Credit: Mélina Guêné-Nanchen (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

This magnificent pattern is the result of hundreds and hundreds of years of evolution. In this structured minerotrophic peatland in Northern Quebec (Canada), which can also be called a string fen or aapa mire, the green peat ridges (or strings) alternate with water-filled hollows (or flarks). Often flarks are replaced by ponds, which vary in number and size. This pattern of strings and flarks (or ...[Read More]