The sound of melting is all around us as we arrive on the Stubai glacier in Austria. Today the ice may lose a centimetre or two of depth, because the sun is shining and temperatures are well above zero. As we walk slowly from the ski lift, glaciologist Andrea Fischer warns us to watch out for holes and cracks in the icy mud.
The looming deoxygenation event that could impact Earth serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of our planet’s life-supporting systems. This realization aligns with the age-old wisdom encapsulated in the proverb, “forewarned is forearmed.” The persistent efforts to discover habitable planets gain even greater significance in the face of this impending challenge. Such endeavors become not just a pursuit of scientific curiosity but a vital necessity, given the potential future scarcity of oxygen on Earth.