“We may see similar pressures today but fewer options to move.”
February 26, 2019 5:22 PM   Subscribe

A new study shows climate change may have contributed to the decline of Cahokia (previously), a famed prehistoric city near present-day St. Louis. And it involves ancient human poop.
posted by Johnny Wallflower (6 comments total) 11 users marked this as a favorite
 
h/t homunculus
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 5:23 PM on February 26, 2019 [1 favorite]


Using Munoz’s core and another White collected on Horseshoe Lake, the research team measured the relative amount of fecal stanols from humans present in sediment layers. They compared these to stanol levels known to come from bacteria in the soil in order to establish a baseline concentration for each layer.
I was wondering how they were accurately measuring humans defecating on land in sediment layers within lakes in a study involving droughts and flooding, that pull quote explains how they got data that wasn't tainted.
posted by I paid money to offer this... insight? at 6:06 PM on February 26, 2019 [1 favorite]


Atoll dwellers in Polynesia are sailing away from islands where sea water intrusion has ruined the ground water, to islands where it has not yet done that. TODAY. The only things that prevent it form making headlines is that it's 2019 and this timeline is crazy stupid, and also that they are being accepted by their fellow Polynesians thanks to a combination of ethnic solidarity, Christian piety, and a general acceptance of austere living standards throughout the islands.

Bangladesh's coast dwellers are taking every opportunity to find other spots to live, even if that means flying to South America and then going on foot to the first state that will decline to deport them. Which for most of them means having to cross the Darien Gap on foot. TODAY.

Florida's freshwater reservoirs are only a foot above the sea. It's only a matter of time before potable water becomes too expensive to provide to anyone. Okay, that's not today, but it's also not a may but a will.

Migrations are happening now. No need for the future tense.
posted by ocschwar at 6:26 PM on February 26, 2019 [22 favorites]


tainted.

Ugh. I see what you did there.
posted by notsnot at 6:53 PM on February 26, 2019 [3 favorites]


/drops to knees, shakes fist at sky from atop a mound as lightning cracks and sheets of blinding rain fall, tears of rage coursing down face beneath dented conquistador helmet, shouting in long drawn out syllables, mud smearing a rusty cuirass

FLEURRR DE MURRRR

The quest for the fabled city of gold ended here, in the mud and weather, aromatic of night soil
posted by mwhybark at 7:48 PM on February 26, 2019 [2 favorites]


If you want to look at climate migrations, FEMA has good data regarding people moving out of New Orleans after Katrina. I don't think that they've had similar collection efforts for the recent disasters but I imagine they would look very similar as far as internal displacement within the United States from climate change.
posted by eustatic at 9:00 PM on February 26, 2019 [1 favorite]


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