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  • Aon Promotes Andrew Laing and Rupert Moore to New Leadership Roles to Accelerate Reinsurance Growth and Client Value

    Aon Promotes Andrew Laing and Rupert Moore to New Leadership Roles to Accelerate Reinsurance Growth and Client Value

    Aon Promotes Andrew Laing and Rupert Moore to New Leadership Roles to Accelerate Reinsurance Growth and Client Value

    DUBLIN, July 31, 2025 – Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today announced two promotions with its Reinsurance executive leadership team to help insurer clients in the UK and APAC navigate volatility, optimise capital and drive profitable growth.

    Andrew Laing has been named UK CEO for Reinsurance, subject to regulatory approval, and will retain his role as Aon’s global Facultative CEO, a position he has held since 2016 overseeing and driving a consistently high growth division within Reinsurance. He will continue to be based in London.

    Rupert Moore, who has successfully served as UK CEO for Reinsurance for the past three years, will take on a new role as CEO of Reinsurance across Asia Pacific and Chairman of the region for Aon’s Strategy and Technology Group. He will relocate to Singapore later this year and serve as an advisor to Aon’s APAC CEO Jennifer Richards to help advance the firm’s Risk Capital strategy for Japan. Moore brings deep experience in the region, having previously served as CEO of Reinsurance in Japan for five years.

    Alfonso Valera, CEO of international for Reinsurance at Aon, said: “This is an exciting time for our Reinsurance business as we announce these further high calibre leadership appointments. Andrew and Rupert have combined decades of experience in the (re)insurance marketplace and have a proven ability to achieve long-term sustainable growth while shaping better business decisions on behalf of clients. Following the recent leadership promotions within Reinsurance, these additional appointments will continue to accelerate the ambition and velocity of our industry-leading Reinsurance business to drive client value.”

    The appointments follow the firm’s recent announcements that Valera now serves as CEO of international for Reinsurance, responsible for UK, EMEA and APAC, Steve Hofmann serves as CEO of Americas for Reinsurance, responsible for North America and Latin America, George Attard serves as global head of strategy for Reinsurance, and Tomas Novotny serves as CEO of EMEA and chairman of international for Reinsurance.

    To learn more about Aon’s Reinsurance capabilities: https://www.aon.com/en/capabilities/reinsurance 

    About Aon

    Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses.

    Follow Aon on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting Aon’s newsroom and sign up for news alerts here.

    Media Contact

    mediainquiries@aon.com

    Toll-free (U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico): +1 833 751 8114

    International: +1 312 381 3024


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  • $150M Move That Redefines Enterprise Smart Glasses

    $150M Move That Redefines Enterprise Smart Glasses

    Google’s $150M Power Play: How the Warby Parker Partnership Could Reshape Enterprise XR Forever

    As someone deeply fascinated by how immersive technology transforms the workplace, I believe we’re witnessing a pivotal moment in the smart glasses revolution. If you’re an innovation leader, enterprise decision-maker, or XR industry professional, Google’s massive $150 million commitment to develop AI glasses with Warby Parker isn’t just news—it’s a strategic earthquake that could fundamentally alter the competitive landscape. This partnership signals that the battle for workplace XR dominance is about to intensify dramatically.

    The Strategic Masterstroke Behind Google’s Massive Investment

    Google’s announcement at Google I/O 2025 reveals a calculated approach to smart glasses development that directly challenges Meta’s Ray-Ban partnership model. The tech giant has already committed $75 million to Warby Parker’s product development and commercialization costs, with an additional $75 million investment planned based on milestone achievements, including taking an equity stake in the eyewear manufacturer.

    “Google seems to be taking a page out of Meta’s smart glasses strategy. Meta has found success partnering and investing in the Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica to develop its smart glasses.”

    Said Maxwell Zeff, senior reporter at TechCrunch.

    This isn’t merely about hardware development—it’s about ecosystem control and enterprise market positioning. By partnering with Warby Parker, Google gains access to established retail channels, popular frame designs, and most importantly, a brand trusted by millions of consumers who could become enterprise users.

    Why This Partnership Matters for Enterprise XR Adoption

    The implications for workplace technology adoption are profound. Unlike Meta’s consumer-focused Ray-Ban collaboration, Google’s Android XR platform combined with Warby Parker’s business-friendly aesthetic creates a compelling proposition for enterprise buyers. The partnership addresses three critical enterprise concerns: professional appearance, ecosystem integration, and scalable deployment.

    Enterprise leaders have consistently cited aesthetics and professional acceptability as barriers to workplace XR adoption. Warby Parker’s reputation for stylish, workplace-appropriate eyewear directly addresses these concerns. When your smart glasses look like premium prescription frames rather than obvious tech devices, employee adoption rates increase significantly.

    The Multimodal AI Advantage in Professional Environments

    The integration of Gemini AI capabilities with prescription and non-prescription glasses represents a significant advancement in workplace productivity tools. Imagine attending meetings where your glasses provide real-time language translation, display contextual information about participants, or offer AI-powered insights during presentations. These aren’t futuristic concepts—they’re practical applications that address real workplace challenges.

    The multimodal AI functionality could transform how professionals interact with information throughout their workday. From architects visualizing building modifications to sales teams accessing customer data during presentations, the practical applications for enterprise users are limitless.

    The Eyewear Empire Battle: Understanding the Competitive Landscape

    To fully grasp the significance of Google’s Warby Parker partnership, we must understand the broader eyewear industry dynamics. Warby Parker’s biggest competitor is Luxottica Group (now EssilorLuxottica following the 2018 merger), the Italian eyewear giant that dominates the global market with an estimated 80% market share.

    EssilorLuxottica’s Smart Glasses Arsenal:

    The eyewear behemoth controls an impressive portfolio of premium brands that have become the foundation for smart glasses development:

    • Ray-Ban (Meta’s chosen partner for Ray-Ban Meta glasses)
    • Oakley (popular in sports and enterprise applications)
    • Persol (luxury Italian craftsmanship)
    • Oliver Peoples (high-end fashion frames)
    • Vogue Eyewear (fashion-forward designs)

    Warby Parker’s Challenger Ecosystem:

    As a direct-to-consumer disruptor, Warby Parker has built its reputation on:

    • Affordable luxury positioning ($95-$195 price range vs. traditional $300+ frames)
    • Home try-on programs that revolutionized online eyewear shopping
    • Socially conscious business model (Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program)
    • Millennial and Gen Z appeal through digital-first marketing

    This competitive dynamic makes Google’s choice particularly strategic. While Meta partnered with the established market leader, Google is betting on the challenger brand that appeals to younger, tech-savvy professionals—exactly the demographic driving enterprise XR adoption.

    Strategic Implications for the XR Industry Landscape

    Google’s broader partnership strategy, including collaborations with Samsung and Gentle Monster, suggests a comprehensive approach to market penetration. This multi-partner strategy contrasts sharply with Meta’s singular focus on EssilorLuxottica, potentially giving Google greater flexibility and market reach.

    The choice between Warby Parker and Luxottica brands represents two fundamentally different approaches to enterprise market penetration. Meta’s Ray-Ban partnership leverages established luxury and recognition, while Google’s Warby Parker alliance emphasizes accessibility, innovation, and digital-native appeal.

    For XR industry professionals, this development signals several important trends. First, the smart glasses market is rapidly maturing beyond early adopter phases. Second, major tech companies are making substantial financial commitments to establish market position. Third, the integration of AI capabilities is becoming the primary differentiator rather than basic AR functionality.

    Competitive Positioning and Market Dynamics

    The timing of this announcement, coupled with Google’s Android XR platform launch, positions the company as a serious competitor to Meta’s Reality Labs division. While Meta has achieved success with Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Google’s approach suggests a more enterprise-focused strategy that could capture significant market share in professional environments.

    Enterprise buyers should note that Google’s partnership model provides more choice and potentially better integration with existing Google Workspace tools. This ecosystem advantage could prove decisive for organizations already invested in Google’s productivity suite.

    Ponder This..

    The smart glasses revolution isn’t coming—it’s here, and Google’s $150 million commitment to Warby Parker proves that the enterprise market is where the real battle will be won. As we stand on the brink of mainstream XR adoption in professional environments, this partnership could be the catalyst that transforms smart glasses from novelty to necessity. The question isn’t whether your workplace will adopt XR technology, but which ecosystem will power your digital transformation journey.

    Ready to dive deeper into the XR revolution? Join our thriving community of 2000+ XR professionals on LinkedIn to continue this conversation and explore how immersive technology is reshaping the workplace. Don’t miss the latest developments—subscribe to our newsletter for your weekly rundown of the most crucial XR industry news and insights.

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  • Sex modifies the association between malnutrition and chronic kidney disease in community-dwelling older adults in the United States | BMC Geriatrics

    Sex modifies the association between malnutrition and chronic kidney disease in community-dwelling older adults in the United States | BMC Geriatrics

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  • Google Releases Major Firebase Studio Updates for Agentic AI Development

    Google Releases Major Firebase Studio Updates for Agentic AI Development

    At Google Cloud Summit London in early July, Google revealed significant new capabilities in Firebase Studio that promise to enhance agentic cloud-based development: an autonomous Agent mode, native support for Model Context Protocol (MCP), and Gemini CLI integration. These updates aim to streamline agentic AI development by making AI agents more independent, better informed, and seamlessly embedded in developer workflows.

    The new autonomous Agent mode allows Gemini to work independently on behalf of developers. In this enhanced mode, Gemini can independently reason, take actions such as running terminal commands, and generate entire applications without constant developer oversight. It can also add features to existing applications, like refactoring components, writing tests, and fixing errors. For critical actions carrying irreversible consequences, such as deleting files, the system will prompt developers for explicit permission before proceeding. 

    The autonomous Agent mode represents a major leap forward from Firebase Studio’s existing interaction capabilities. This new mode builds upon the platform’s Ask mode, which enables conversational interaction with Gemini, and the prior Agent mode, which allows Gemini to propose application changes for developer approval. The key innovation is Gemini’s ability to autonomously reason and work independently, significantly accelerating development tasks.

    Source: Google blog post

    Firebase Studio also now offers native support for MCP, allowing developers to leverage MCP servers to extend and personalize their development workflow. The protocol is a standardized way to connect AI models to different data sources and tools. For example, while writing code or implementing new features, developers can use natural language to interact with a Context7 MCP server to look up and study specific APIs, or interact with a Postgres MCP server to learn about existing database tables and their column types. This native integration streamlines access to crucial development context, reducing friction and accelerating tasks.

    A third major update integrates Gemini CLI directly into Firebase Studio. Google launched their free and open-source AI agent called Gemini CLI in June 2025. With this integration, developers who primarily use a command-line interface (CLI) to control their development workflow can now use Gemini’s capability directly within the Firebase Studio. This eliminates the need to switch contexts to a separate chat window, allowing for a more seamless and integrated AI-assisted development experience right where they work.

    Firebase Studio is Google’s agentic cloud-based development environment designed to help build and ship full-stack AI applications. These three new capabilities collectively represent Google’s push to make AI-assisted development more autonomous, contextually aware, and integrated into existing developer workflows.

    This expanding landscape of AI-powered development tools includes other notable platforms such as Lovable, which focuses on generating websites and full-stack applications from natural language descriptions. Similarly, Bolt.new is an AI-powered web application builder that simplifies the creation of web applications. Replit, another online AI-powered platform, enables users to quickly transform ideas to web applications and deploy them directly from the browser, eliminating the need to wrestle with complex development environments. Like Firebase Studio, these tools aim to streamline and accelerate the software development lifecycle through autonomous and context-aware AI agents.


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  • ‘Sleeping giant’ fault beneath Canada could unleash a major earthquake, research suggests

    ‘Sleeping giant’ fault beneath Canada could unleash a major earthquake, research suggests

    A major fault in the Yukon, Canada, that has been quiet for at least 12,000 years may be capable of giving off earthquakes of at least magnitude 7.5, new research suggests.

    Based on the amount of strain the Tintina fault has accumulated over the past 2.6 million years, it is now under an amount of stress that could lead to a large quake within a human lifespan, researchers reported July 15 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The finding may require experts to rethink the earthquake danger in the region, the study authors said.

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  • Mechanical Stress in Cancer Cells Activates Mitochondria

    Mechanical Stress in Cancer Cells Activates Mitochondria


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    Cancer cells mount an instant, energy-rich response to being physically squeezed, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications. The surge of energy is the first reported instance of a defensive mechanism which helps the cells repair DNA damage and survive the crowded environments of the human body.

    The findings help explain how cancer cells survive complex mechanical gauntlets like crawling through a tumour microenvironment, sliding into porous blood vessels or enduring the battering of the bloodstream. The discovery of the mechanism can lead to new strategies which pin cancer cells down before they spread.

    Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona made the discovery using a specialised microscope that can compress living cells to just three microns wide, about one-thirtieth the diameter of a human hair. They observed that, that, within seconds of being squeezed, mitochondria in HeLA cells race to the surface of the nucleus and pump in extra ATP, the molecular energy source of cells.

    “It forces us to rethink the role of mitochondria in the human body. They aren’t these static batteries powering our cells, but more like agile first responders that can be summoned in emergency situations when cells are literally pressed to the limit,” says Dr. Sara Sdelci, co-corresponding author of the study.

    The mitochondria formed a halo so tight that the nucleus dimpled inward. The phenomenon was observed in 84 percent of confined HeLa cancer cells, compared with virtually none in floating, uncompressed cells. The researchers refer to the structures “NAMs,” for nucleus-associated mitochondria.

    To find out what NAMs did, the researchers deployed a fluorescent sensor that lights up when ATP enters the nucleus. The signal soared by around 60 percent within three seconds of the cells being squeezed.  ”It’s a clear sign the cells are adapting to the strain and rewiring their metabolism,” says Dr. Fabio Pezzano, co-first author of the study.

    Subsequent experiments revealed why the power surge matters. Mechanical squeezing puts DNA under stress, snapping strands and tangling the human genome. Cells rely on ATP-hungry repair crews to loosen DNA and reach broken sites to mend the damage. Squeezed cells that received the extra boost of ATP repaired DNA within hours, while those without stopped dividing properly.

    To confirm relevance for disease, the researchers also examined breasttumour biopsies from 17 patients. The NAM halos appeared in 5.4 percent of nuclei at invasive tumour fronts versus 1.8 percent in the dense tumour core, a threefold difference. “Seeing this signature in patient biopsies convinced us of the relevance beyond the lab bench,” explains Dr. Ritobrata (Rito) Ghose, co-first author of the study.

    The researchers were also able to study the cellular engineering which makes the mitochondrial rush possible. Actin filaments, the same protein cables that let muscles flex, compound around the nucleus, while the endoplasmic reticulum throws a mesh-like net. The combined scaffold, the study shows, physically traps the NAMs in place, forming the halo-like structure. When the researchers treated cells with latrunculin A, a drug that dismantles actin, NAM formation collapsed and the ATP tide receded.

    If metastatic cells depend on NAM-driven ATP surges, drugs that block the scaffold could make tumours less invasive without broadly poisoning mitochondria and sparing healthy tissues. “Mechanical stress responses are an underexplored vulnerability of cancer cells that can open new therapeutic avenues,” says Dr. Verena Ruprecht, co-corresponding author of the study.

    While the study looked at cancer cells, the authors of the study stress the phenomenon is likely a universal phenomenon in biology. Immune cells squeezing through lymph nodes, neurons extending branches, and embryonic cells during morphogenesis all experience similar physical forces.

    “Wherever cells are under pressure, a nuclear energy boost is likely safeguarding the integrity of the genome,” concludes Dr. Sdelci. “It’s a completely new layer of regulation in cell biology, marking a fundamental shift in our understanding of how cells survive intense periods of physical stress.”

    Reference: Ghose R, Pezzano F, Badia R, et al. Mitochondria-derived nuclear ATP surge protects against confinement-induced proliferation defects. Nat Commun. 2025;16(1):6613. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-61787-x

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  • Allergy Shots: How They Target Immune Cells

    Allergy Shots: How They Target Immune Cells

    Allergic to peanuts? Bees? Pollen? Cockroaches? There’s a shot for that.

    Each year, around 2.6 million Americans receive allergy immunotherapies, commonly called “allergy shots.” These therapies have been available for decades, and they are generally safe and effective.

    Here’s the surprising part—scientists still don’t have a complete understanding of how allergy immunotherapies work. We know these therapies contain small amounts of an allergen. And we know this allergen exposure desensitizes immune cells and helps prevent allergic reactions.

    Yet scientists don’t know how different doses of an allergen might affect different patients—and we don’t know which immune cells are the best targets for these therapies.

    Now scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) are investigating how allergy immunotherapies target the very immune cells that drive dangerous allergic reactions.

    “The good thing is that allergy immunotherapies work,” says LJI Professor Alessandro Sette, Dr.Biol.Sci. “But we need to go deeper and characterize immune responses to allergen immunotherapies.”

    Learning from cockroach allergies

    Sette and his colleagues are uncovering the fundamentals of allergy immunotherapies by examining the immune system’s T cells in more detail than ever before. T cells are important because they drive allergic reactions. T cells “remember” past exposures to allergens, and they alert other immune cells when an allergen is present.

    For a recent study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the researchers focused on how allergy immunotherapies affected T cell responses in children (ages 8 to 17) with cockroach allergies.

    Cockroach allergies are extremely common, especially in urban and under-resourced areas, where around 89 percent of homes have detectable cockroach allergens. Young children are most likely to develop cockroach allergies—and most likely to experience potentially deadly allergic asthma attacks.

    Like many children with cockroach allergies, the children in this study received allergy immunotherapy that contained cockroach “extract.” This extract includes proteins from cockroaches and cockroach droppings, which are processed and purified to be safe for injection.

    But extracts are not all uniform. There are different ways to prepare allergen extracts, and some extracts contain more or less of the actual allergen. So does dosage make a difference?

    The researchers found no difference in T cell responses to allergens present in high vs. low amounts in the extract. As long as you’re including the right cockroach proteins in an extract, the dosage doesn’t seem to matter. As Sette puts it, “A little goes a long way.”

    “That’s good news. From one extract to the next, you can expect to get a more or less consistent immunological effect,” says Sette.

    This research also helped the scientists zero in on a specialized type of T cells, called Th2 cells, as the main targets of allergy immunotherapy. “This type of T cell is important for the development of asthma and allergic reactions,” says Sette.

    This finding helps explain why allergy immunotherapies tend to work so well. If you can desensitize Th2 cells to an allergen, you can likely dampen those harmful symptoms.

    Stopping a “runaway train”

    Next, the LJI team investigated how cockroach allergy immunotherapies worked in different groups of kids. They compared Th2 cell responses from kids who were highly allergic to cockroaches to kids who were weakly allergic to cockroaches. Which group might benefit more?

    “Perhaps a cockroach extract would only work in someone highly allergic to cockroaches,” says Sette. “Because if you’re not highly allergic, maybe you don’t get as much benefit.”

    Then again, says Sette, scientists have wondered if weak allergies are easier to control. “Perhaps if someone is strongly allergic, it’s more difficult to inhibit. It’s very hard to stop a runaway train going full speed,” says Sette.

    The LJI experiments led to more good news. Sette and his colleagues found that cockroach allergy immunotherapies work no matter how strong a person’s underlying allergic response is.

    Going forward, the researchers plan to broaden the research and investigate other T cell subtypes. They also plan to look at gene expression to better understand which T cells are targeted during allergy immunotherapy.

    Understanding these fundamentals may reveal ways to tweak allergy immunotherapies to make them more effective for more patients. “This research may open the road to developing immunotherapies that aren’t based on crude extracts but are much more defined on a molecular level,” says LJI Senior Staff Scientist Ricardo Da Silva Antunes, Ph.D., who served as first author of the study.

    Reference: da Silva Antunes R, Sutherland A, Abawi A, et al. Cockroach immunotherapy modulates dominant T cell responses independent of allergen extract content. J Allergy Clin Immunol. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2025.07.011

    This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source. Our press release publishing policy can be accessed here.

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  • Scientists Build Synthetic Cells That Tell Time – SciTechDaily

    1. Scientists Build Synthetic Cells That Tell Time  SciTechDaily
    2. Tiny Artificial Cells Can Keep Time, Study Finds  University of California, Merced
    3. Reconstitution of circadian clock in synthetic cells reveals principles of timekeeping  Nature
    4. Artificial Cells Keep Time, Revealing More About Circadian Rhythms  Labroots
    5. Scientists create glowing artificial cells that pulse to 24-hour biological clock  Yahoo Home

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  • Alibaba Cloud to provide core digital services for Dakar 2026

    Alibaba Cloud to provide core digital services for Dakar 2026

    “This partnership marks a significant milestone in bringing world-class digital infrastructure to Africa’s first Olympic event,” said Selina Yuan, President of International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. “Our proven cloud solutions and AI capabilities will create a technological foundation that ensures seamless operations while delivering innovative experiences for athletes, organisers and fans alike.”

    The Dakar 2026 YOG will take place from 31 October to 13 November 2026 across three host sites – Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly – and are expected to welcome 2,700 young athletes. A total of 35 sports will feature on the YOG programme: 25 competition sports and 10 engagement sports.

    According to Ibrahima Wade, General Coordinator of the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee, the collaboration with Alibaba Cloud is intended to help ensure smooth Games operations while strengthening the digital capabilities of local organisers.

    “As we prepare to host Africa’s first Olympic event, partnering with Alibaba Cloud marks a crucial step in our journey to deliver technologically advanced and seamlessly operated Youth Olympic Games,” said Wade. “The implementation of Alibaba Cloud’s digital technologies across our core services will not only ensure efficient Games operations but also create a lasting technological legacy that will benefit Senegal and the African sporting community long after the Games conclude.”

    Since becoming a Worldwide Olympic Partner in 2017, Alibaba has committed to helping the IOC transform the Olympic Games for the digital era, with its support of Dakar 2026 forming part of the IOC’s wider digital transformation strategy, in which cloud-based infrastructure plays an increasing role in improving the efficiency and sustainability of Games delivery.

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  • Colossal flood explodes through Greenland Ice Sheet. What scientists find in aftermath astounds them

    Colossal flood explodes through Greenland Ice Sheet. What scientists find in aftermath astounds them

    In 2014, a lake hidden beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet suddenly began to drain. The event occurred with such force that a surge of water was sent directly upwards, splitting through the ice to create a crater almost one kilometre deep.

    In the 10 days that followed, 90 million cubic metres of water were released from the lake – roughly equivalent to nine hours of water crashing over Niagara Falls during peak flow. It was one of the largest subglacial floods ever recorded in Greenland.

    Despite the drama of the event itself, researchers were even more surprised by what they discovered downstream: 385,000 square metres (54 football pitches) of fractured and distorted ice – a chaotic scene that comprised enormous blocks 25 metres high, along with six square kilometres of scoured ice. None of this was there before the flood.

    Now, in a new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, researchers from Lancaster University reveal further insights not only on the discovery of the great flood but also how this little-understood process may affect the way the ice sheet responds to future climate change.

    The flood

    The study explains that “one of the most recently discovered, yet poorly understood, components of Greenland’s subglacial hydrological system is its network of active subglacial lakes.” The 2014 lake drainage event therefore presented an opportunity to find out more.

    Using high-resolution surface models and multiple satellite sources from NASA and the European Space Agency, the team were able to study the lake – and the flood event – in striking detail. They were surprised at what they found.

    “When we first saw this, because it was so unexpected, we thought there was an issue with our data,” explains lead author Dr Jade Bowling. “However, as we went deeper into our analysis, it became clear that what we were observing was the aftermath of a huge flood of water escaping from underneath the ice.”

    Satellite image of the subglacial lake region acquired on 12 August 2012, before the subglacial lake drainage and outburst flood occurred. Credit: CPOM, Lancaster University | DigitalGlobe, Inc. (2015), provided by European Space Imaging
    Lake site after
    Satellite image of the subglacial lake region acquired on 28 April 2015, after the subglacial lake drainage and outburst flood occurred, showing the fracturing of the ice sheet. Credit: CPOM, Lancaster University | DigitalGlobe, Inc. (2015), provided by European Space Imaging.

    Previously, it was thought that meltwater flowed from the surface down to the bed and out to the ocean. This event, however, shows that water can also be forced in the opposite direction, tearing upwards through the ice under pressure.

    Approximately one kilometre downstream of the collapsed basin, a newly formed zone of fractures appeared in the ice surface, “consisting of crevassing and uprooted ice blocks with a combined height (crevasse depth plus ice block height) of 40 metres,” the study explains.

    “Downslope of the fracture zone, an ~6-km2region of the ice surface had been scoured clean. Together, these observations indicate that a substantial volume of water broke up through the ice at this location and flooded across the surface.”

    The scientists were also surprised to find that the flood occurred in a region where models previously predicted that the ice was frozen at the bed. Given the existence of the lake, this can’t be the case.

    The researchers suggest perhaps the pressure-driven fracturing of ice along the ice bed created a pathway for the water to flow.

    Ice surface elevation profiles above the subglacial lake
    Diagram showing how the subglacial lake formed and what happened when it flooded. Credit: Bowling et al., Nature Geoscience

    Lessons from the flood

    “What we have found in this study surprised us in many ways,” says Dr Amber Leeson, an expert in ice sheet hydrology. “It has taught us new and unexpected things about the way that ice sheets can respond to extreme inputs of surface meltwater.”

    The findings raise questions about whether current models accurately capture the behaviour of the Greenland Ice Sheet under a warming climate, say the researchers, who explain that as global temperatures rise, more meltwater events like this could happen – yet we still have much to learn about how they affect the future of our ice sheets.

    Find out more about the study: Outburst of a subglacial flood from the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet

    Top image: the outburst fracture zone, based on satellite imagery acquired on 28 April 2015. Credit: CPOM, Lancaster University | DigitalGlobe, Inc. (2015), provided by European Space Imaging

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