{"id":34314,"date":"2014-02-06T10:00:01","date_gmt":"2014-02-06T16:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/?p=34314"},"modified":"2014-02-11T23:31:45","modified_gmt":"2014-02-12T05:31:45","slug":"scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/","title":{"rendered":"For Clues to Texas&#8217; Climate Future, Scientists Look Deep Underground"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-34314 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5671edit\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5671edit-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5671edit-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5671edit-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5671edit-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5671edit-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5671edit-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5671edit-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5671edit-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34316'>\n\t\t\t\tJay Banner exploring Inner Space caverns.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5583\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5583-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5583-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5583-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5583-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5583-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5583-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5583-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5583-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34317'>\n\t\t\t\tInner Space caverns\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5594\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34318'>\n\t\t\t\tScientists study the make up of stalactites and stalagmites to learn about ancient climate trends. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5647\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5647-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5647-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5647-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5647-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5647-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5647-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5647-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5647-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34319'>\n\t\t\t\tBanner (right) and researcher Barbara Wortham.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5628\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5628-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5628-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5628-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5628-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5628-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5628-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5628-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5628-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34320'>\n\t\t\t\tThis mirror like pool of water was dry during the great Texas drought of 2011. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5656\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5656-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5656-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5656-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5656-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5656-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5656-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5656-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5656-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34321'>\n\t\t\t\tFormations like these tell the story of the earths climate history.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5669\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5669-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34322\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5669-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5669-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5669-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5669-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5669-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5669-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5669-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34322'>\n\t\t\t\tBarbara Wortham recently presented new research on how to determine the age of speleothems..\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5701\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5701-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5701-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5701-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5701-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5701-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5701-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5701-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5701-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34323'>\n\t\t\t\tDr. Banner&#8217;s research team measures the length of time for a single drop of water to fall in this cave. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5682\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5682-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5682-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5682-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5682-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5682-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5682-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5682-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5682-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34330'>\n\t\t\t\tDr. Jay Banner and Barbara Wortham in a part of the caverns closed to the public.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5689\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5689-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5689-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5689-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5689-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5689-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5689-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5689-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5689-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34331'>\n\t\t\t\tBarbara Wortham at the lowest part of the caves.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5696\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5696-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5696-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5696-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5696-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5696-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5696-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5696-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5696-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34332'>\n\t\t\t\tRock formations. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/02\/06\/scientists-look-deep-underground-for-clues-to-texas-climate-future\/img_5698\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5698-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-34333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5698-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5698-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5698-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5698-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5698-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5698-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5698-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-34333'>\n\t\t\t\tResearchers venture off the public passages to learn carry out their work. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<h4>Paleo &#8216;Rain Gauges&#8217; in Texas Caves Help Show How Our Climate is Changing<\/h4>\n<p>It&#8217;s easy to imagine that attitudes towards climate change would be different if everyone owned a device like the one Dr. Jay Banner showed me this winter in Georgetown, Texas. It&#8217;s a small instrument, about the size and shape of a walkie talkie, that measures carbon dioxide wherever you go.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can see that outside here, the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 403 parts per million,&#8221; Banner says, holding it up for inspection on a frigid morning. &#8220;That\u2019s a number we\u2019re really worried about in our society today. Because, at the onset of the industrial revolution, we were at about 280 parts per million. We\u2019re on our way towards doubling it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Scientists agree that carbon dioxide contributes to climate change. What researchers like Banner, a Professor of Geological Science at the University of Texas at Austin, want to understand is what climate change means for the world around us. That search has put him in some tight spots during his career, often deep underground, in the caves of Central Texas.\u00a0<!--more--><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34360\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 300px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"Dr. Jay Banner studies ancient climate trends in caves around Texas. \" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5560.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-34360\" alt=\"Dr. Jay Banner studies ancient climate trends in caves around Texas. \" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5560-300x199.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5560-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5560-620x412.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Photo by Mose Buchele<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Jay Banner studies ancient climate trends in caves around Texas.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>We met in Georgetown to take a tour of the Inner Space caverns off of I-35, where Banner and his team conduct some of their research. We explored the public passages, and those tighter tunnels looking at those other-worldly seeming mineral formations that hang from the roofs of caves or reach up from the floor. Scientists call them <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Speleothem\">speleothems<\/a>, through you might know them as stalactites and stalagmites.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo we\u2019re coming to a bunch of stalactites here,&#8221; Banner says as we reach one spiky outcropping. \u00a0&#8220;Now what we can see is that they\u2019ve been broken off. That\u2019s unfortunate. But one thing you can see as they\u2019ve been broken is the concentric growth.\u00a0They almost look like rings of a tree where the oldest rings are on the inside and the youngest are towards the outside.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/133390462&amp;color=ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_artwork=true\" height=\"166\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br \/>\nThose rings are formed by the slow drip of water depositing the mineral calcite. And they hold secrets to what weather conditions were like in the distant past. Scientists refer to them as \u201cPaleo\u201d rain gauges.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34318\"  class=\"wp-caption module image left\" style=\"max-width: 300px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"Scientists study the make up of stalactites and stalagmites to learn about ancient climate trends. \" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-34318\" alt=\"Scientists study the make up of stalactites and stalagmites to learn about ancient climate trends. \" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-300x199.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2014\/02\/IMG_5594-620x412.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Mose Buchele<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Scientists study the make up of speleothems, like stalactites and stalagmites, to learn about ancient climate trends.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;Our dating results indicate that water had to have been dripping from some of the same drip sites for 70,000 years,&#8221; says Banner. &#8220;It\u2019s remarkable when you think about that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The idea behind researching speleothems is simple: the better science can understand the climate of the past, the better we\u2019ll understand what may be in store. But there\u2019s still a lot to learn about how to read these rain gauges.<\/p>\n<p>But if you look at enough of these formations in enough caves, across a large enough region, a picture begins to emerge.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"related-content alignright\"><h4 class=\"related-header\">Related<\/h4><div class=\"links\"><h5>Posts<\/h5><ul><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/01\/28\/why-we-could-see-more-cold-snaps-in-a-warming-world\/\">Why We Could See More Cold Snaps in a Warming World<\/a><\/li><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2014\/01\/20\/climate-change-could-lead-to-more-massive-freshwater-fish-kills-in-texas\/\">Climate Change Could Lead to More Massive Fish Kills in Texas<\/a><\/li><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/12\/23\/texas-neighborhoods-where-climate-change-could-hurt\/\">Texas Neighborhoods Where Climate Change Could Hurt<\/a><\/li><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/10\/11\/state-judge-is-wrong-to-say-it-must-protect-atmosphere\/\">State: Judge is Wrong to Say It Must Protect Atmosphere<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"topics\"><h5>Topics<\/h5><p class=\"topic\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2011\/11\/119835727-60x60.jpg\" height=\"60\" width=\"60\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/topic\/drought\/\">Everything You Need to Know About the Texas Drought<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>Banner says research in caves like these have shown the gradual disappearance of topsoil over the Edwards plateau. It&#8217;s also shown how trends during the earth&#8217;s last major warming period may not match what scientists expect this time around.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the last ice age, about fourteen thousand years ago, the earth underwent its last major warming.\u00a0That warming melted the great ice sheets that covered much of North America. <b><\/b><\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring this melting event and warming event, we had this increased flux of atmospheric moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into the Southwest U.S.,&#8221; said Banner.\u00a0\u201cThe projection for the 21<sup>st<\/sup> century is that instead of projecting this to be a wetter place, its projected to be a drier place. And so the droughts of the 1950s are sort of projected to be the new norm.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If that does come to pass, future generations could study our warming age the same way we&#8217;re currently studying the past: in the slowing drips of water filtering into hidden spaces below our feet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The better science can understand the climate of the past, the better we\u2019ll understand what may be in store in the future. But we&#8217;ll have to go spelunking first.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":34316,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[58],"tags":[122],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34314"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34314"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34314\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34315,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34314\/revisions\/34315"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}