Newsflash Faculty of Science: Greenland houses meltwater, Amazon communities engaged in research, and more
Quick updates
At Utrecht University’s Faculty of Science, we are committed to keeping you informed about the latest developments, breakthroughs, and achievements that shape our academic landscape. In this newsflash, you will find quick, bite-sized updates on a range of topics that we wish to share with you in addition to the other, more extensive articles in our newsfeed.

Greenland ice sheet temporarily houses large volumes of meltwater
Scientists have discovered that vast amounts of meltwater temporarily accumulate within the Greenland ice sheet during summer. The research team, which includes Michiel van den Broeke, used GPS data to map this meltwater storage process for the first time, showing how the water collects within the ice sheet before eventually flowing into the ocean. This finding offers new insights into how the ice sheet contributes to sea level rise.
The study, published in Nature, shows that the weight of this trapped meltwater causes the ground beneath the ice sheet to sink—an effect that peaks during the summer months and gradually recedes as the season ends. “Our results help improve climate models, especially as the Arctic is warming faster than ever,” says Van den Broeke. “With more accurate predictions, coastal regions can better prepare for the impacts of sea level rise.”

Niels Martens takes over the NL_Wetenschap X-Account this week
Niels Martens, an associate professor at Utrecht University and a philosopher of physics, is taking over the NL_Wetenschap X-account this week to share insights into his work and life as a researcher. Martens’s research focuses primarily on the philosophy of cosmology and astronomy. In 2023, he was awarded an ERC Starting Grant of nearly 1.5 million euros to launch the COSMO-MASTER project, through which he systematically explores when the strict distinction between space and matter no longer holds.
In addition to his research, Martens represents Utrecht University in the Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration (ngEHT). This collaboration builds on the work of the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration (EHT), which, in 2019, released the first-ever image of a black hole. The ngEHT aims to go even further by capturing videos of black holes. Click here to follow his posts on X (in Dutch)!
CloudRoots engages Amazon communities in research
Current weather and climate models struggle to accurately describe and connect the complex cloud-atmosphere-surface system, which encompasses a vast array of biological, chemical, and physical processes. The CloudRoots project aims to address this challenge by investigating the interactions between the atmosphere and Amazon ecosystems. This initiative is a collaboration between Utrecht University and Wageningen University, supported by funding from NWO.
A key focus of the CloudRoots project is community engagement within the Amazon rainforest. Researchers actively involve local communities, visiting schools to teach meteorology, developing an online platform to equip local educators with resources for bringing science into classrooms, and creating a PhD skills course on scientific methodology for local graduate students. Watch the video to learn more about CloudRoots' outreach initiatives.