'98 feet of truth': 5,700 years of weather decoded in sunken Caribbean time capsule
Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Storm Archives
Buried in Belize’s Great Blue Hole, a 98-ft sediment core reveals 5,700 years of storm history. Researchers from Goethe University found 694 cyclone layers, marking violent past events.
Cyclone Surge
Lead geoscientist Dominik Schmitt uncovered a sharp uptick in storm frequency, linking it to the southward shift of the ITCZ, a crucial band influencing Atlantic hurricane formation.
Heat Trigger
Researchers traced recent intensification to rising sea temperatures. The warming oceans, spurred by manmade climate change, are now fueling stronger and more frequent storms.
Historic Spike
The last two decades have seen a shocking rise in cyclone layers, far surpassing millennial norms. This trend, noted in Geology journal, is unlike anything in the past 5,700 years.
Storm Countdown
If the current pattern holds, the Caribbean could see 45 storms per century—nearly double the historic rate, warns biosedimentologist Eberhard Gischler of Goethe University.
Layered Truth
Oxygen-free, undisturbed waters preserved the sediment's fine structure. Each thick grain layer marks a past cyclone, painting a time-lapse of violence beneath the sea's calm.
Climate Alarm
Published March 2025, the study makes a clear case: the storm surge isn’t just natural variation—it’s being accelerated by industrial-era emissions and atmospheric disruption.
Caribbean Crisis
With storms likely to intensify, millions in the region face growing threats. Infrastructure, homes, and livelihoods are at stake, making adaptation and planning urgent.
Natural Record
This marine sinkhole has become a time capsule. The layers are silent, but their story is loud—one of a planet heating fast and a storm belt shifting into higher gear.