The Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center was recently featured in a New Yorker article exploring how climate change is transforming microbial life across the planet. In “Our Warming Planet Is a Petri Dish for New and Deadly Microbes,” writer Shayla Love visited the Byrd Center to learn how researchers are studying microorganisms preserved in ancient glacial ice cores and what those findings may reveal about the future of Earth’s changing climate.

The article highlights the Byrd Center’s internationally recognized ice core collection and the work of researchers including Lonnie Thompson, Ellen Mosley-Thompson, Virginia Rich, Matthew Sullivan, and Brady O’Connor. Scientists discussed how microbial communities shifted during past warming and cooling periods and how thawing glaciers and permafrost may release long-dormant microbes into modern ecosystems. The piece also emphasized the global importance of preserving ice core records and advancing research that helps scientists better understand the connections between climate change, ecosystems, and human health.

To request a PDF copy of the article please reach out to byrd-contact@osu.edu.