Alaska Rivers Turn Orange: Permafrost Thaw Unleashes Toxic Metals

2025-09-14
Alaska Rivers Turn Orange: Permafrost Thaw Unleashes Toxic Metals

Rivers in Alaska's Brooks Range, once pristine, now run orange and murky with toxic metals due to thawing permafrost. Global warming is releasing iron, cadmium, and aluminum into waterways, poisoning fish and devastating ecosystems. Researchers warn similar transformations are underway across the Arctic. This isn't from mining; it's a climate change-driven, irreversible ecological disaster, posing a severe threat to indigenous communities and the Arctic ecosystem.

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