Full Interview: How to Save The “Doomsday Glacier”

About this episode

Brent Minchew discusses his plan to stop the Thwaites Glacier from contributing to sea level rise.

Brent Minchew could have a plan to stop Thwaites Glacier, AKA the “Doomsday Glacier”, cold in its tracks. That’s good news because if this one glacier slips into the sea, it could flood coasts across the planet. The Caltech glaciologist covers what makes the “Doomsday Glacier” the single biggest wild card in sea level rise, the simple idea that could freeze it back to its bed, and his own improbable journey from 9/11 first responder to two of the world's top science institutions. It's a conversation about glaciers, courage, and what it takes to change the story. Learn more about NOVA and visit our YouTube channel. -------------------------- Guest Bio: Brent Minchew is a glaciologist and geophysicist at Caltech, where he leads research on the dynamics of ice sheets and sea level rise, and Chief Scientist at Arête Glacier Initiative. A former U.S. Marine, he now co-leads efforts to test real-world interventions that could stabilize the world's most vulnerable glaciers.

People in this episode

Guest: Brent Minchew

Topics covered

• glaciology
• climate change
• sea level rise
• environmental science
• intervention strategies

Keywords

• Doomsday Glacier
• Thwaites Glacier
• glaciologist
• sea level rise
• climate intervention

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Caltech, Arête Glacier Initiative

Places: U.S., Thwaites Glacier, planet

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