Earth

Photos of a rusting Alaskan river win New Scientist Editors Award

Taylor Roades's images of a river in north-west Alaska that has turned orange because of global warming have won the New Scientist Editors Award at the Earth Photo competition

By Gege Li

19 June 2024

Taylor Roades: Rust River Earth Photo 2024 Shortlisted Entry 2023 was the hottest year on global record and the Arctic is disproportionately affected by these elevated temperatures. The remote Western Brooks Range of North West Alaska has recorded a 2.4 degree increase in temperature since 2006. Permafrost, the layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year is thawing at an unprecedented rate, exposing the bedrock and all metals that have been frozen within it, to the elements. Tukpahlearick Creek and its tributaries are now flowing bright orange with oxidized iron and sulphuric acid. The change to water quality, and risks associated with metals in the water pose dire threats to ecosystems downstream that rely on these waters, and are symbolic of the far reaching consequences of climate change. — Taylor Roades

Looking at this braided orange river bordered by lush green, you could mistake the scene for just another snapshot of a stunning river valley. But a closer inspection reveals that all is not as it seems.

Photographer Taylor Roades travelled to the remote western Brooks Range in north-west Alaska last year to draw attention to how global warming is turning these waters not just rust-coloured, but into rust itself. The colour is down to oxidised iron, which, along with sulphuric acid, is formed as sediments once trapped in the frozen permafrost are released as the ice melts. The chemicals enter nearby tributaries, creating a concoction that is toxic for ecosystems and wildlife.

This photo and the one below show how “the most remote places and ecosystems are being detrimentally affected” by human activity, says Roades. The region, which is hundreds of kilometres from any settlement, has warmed by 2.4°C on average since 2006.

Roades’s shots, titled Rust River, have won the New Scientist Editors Award – one of nine categories in this year’s Earth Photo contest, which showcases photos and videos that tell compelling stories about our planet. The winning entries will be on show at the Royal Geographical Society in London until 21 August.

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