Scientists mystified by alarming changes to lakes at the ‘roof of the world’ — and they’re racing to understand the consequences

By Rick Kazmer – Yahoo news

An interesting phenomenon is unfolding at the top of the world. Lakes on the Tibetan Plateau — sitting at more than 14,700 feet above sea level — are refilling, bucking lake-drying trends elsewhere on the planet, according to the Daily Galaxy.

Satellite images are showing rising water levels on the plateau, commonly called the “roof of the world.” The images span decades and demonstrate that thousands of lakes have been added — plus, their sizes are growing.

As of 2023, 6,159 lakes are “covering an area nearly the size of Lake Michigan,” per the Daily Galaxy. The article cited research published by the journal Nature, as well as other scientific reports, on the matter.