The longstanding rite was aimed at stopping the rapid advance of nearby glaciers during a period now called the Little Ice Age. (dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com)
Previous studies have found that soot particles from these cookstoves can settle on nearby glaciers, absorbing sunlight and melting the ice — particularly in combination with global warming. (vox.com)
When he saw a second nearby glacier with similar patterns, «We warned Chinese authorities, but when our warning arrived the glacier had already collapsed,» Kääb says. (sciencemag.org)