Cryospheric Collapse: Andean Glaciers Retreat Unseen in Over 11,700 Years

A new study indicates that Andean tropical glaciers have shrunk to their smallest sizes in over 11,700 years, signaling a severe impact of modern global warming.

Researchers used cosmogenic nucleotide measurements from bedrock samples near Andean glaciers to show that these glaciers are currently smaller than at any point during the Holocene. This finding underscores the unique vulnerability of tropical glaciers to climate change and suggests they may be early indicators of broader environmental shifts.

Current Andean Glacier Loss Is Unprecedented in the Holocene
Andean tropical glaciers are experiencing unprecedented retreat, according to a new study published on August 1 in the journal Science that reveals their current sizes are the smallest in over 11,700 years.

“Our finding … identifies this region as a hot spot in our understanding of the changing state of the cryosphere,” say the authors.

Glaciers act as important indicators of climate change, with their global retreat accelerating over recent decades. Examining this retreat in the context of the previous 11,700 years of the Holocene interglacial highlights the impact of modern global warming.