Scientists are using AI to track permafrost thaw as Arctic lakes vanish in hours

A new near-real-time monitoring tool has identified 30 additional drained lakes in northwestern Alaska since June 2026.

Thermokarst ponds, or trough ponds, typically form when the ice in permafrost melts. They can also drain quickly. Anna Liljedahl Florida gets a lot of attention for its sinkholes, especially when they swallow cars and entire houses. But its sinkhole risk has nothing on Alaska’s. Much of Alaska’s soil is permafrost –