Peter Essick

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PeterEssick

Peter Essick (Atlanta)

Peter’s by-line has been in National Geographic magazine more than 30 times for stories from around the world as well as in many other international magazines. He has traveled to all seven continents and all of the 50 United States in search of compelling pictures. In recent years, he has specialized in stories about nature and the environment. He has illustrated stories on global warming, the carbon cycle, the global freshwater crisis and nuclear waste.

Greg Wiles doing tree ring research on mountain hemlock trees. These trees were knocked down by the advancing Columbia Glacier in Alaska around 1050 AD and have since been revealed by the rapidly retreating glacier.

Greg Wiles doing tree ring research on mountain hemlock trees. These trees were knocked down by the advancing Columbia Glacier in Alaska around 1050 AD and have since been revealed by the rapidly retreating glacier.

Greg Wiles doing tree ring research on mountain hemlock trees. These trees were knocked down by the advancing Columbia Glacier in Alaska around 1050 AD and have since been revealed by the rapidly retreating glacier.

On the summit of Quelccaya Ice Cap, Peru at 5,670 meters (18,600 ft), Victor Zagorodnov and Vladimir Mikhalenko handle a recently-drilled ice core. Tropical ice cores like these are a unique archive of climate conditions.

On the summit of Quelccaya Ice Cap, Peru at 5,670 meters (18,600 ft), Victor Zagorodnov and Vladimir Mikhalenko handle a recently-drilled ice core. Tropical ice cores like these are a unique archive of climate conditions.

On the summit of Quelccaya Ice Cap, Peru at 5,670 meters (18,600 ft), Victor Zagorodnov and Vladimir Mikhalenko handle a recently-drilled ice core. Tropical ice cores like these are a unique archive of climate conditions.

Penguin researcher Bill Fraser on Litchfield Island, off the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula. From 1,000 breeding pairs of Adelie penguins when he started his research 30 years ago, there are now only 20 pairs. Locally, temperatures have increased 3ºC in the last 30 years and sea ice has declined significantly.

Penguin researcher Bill Fraser on Litchfield Island, off the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula. From 1,000 breeding pairs of Adelie penguins when he started his research 30 years ago, there are now only 20 pairs. Locally, temperatures have increased 3ºC in the last 30 years and sea ice has declined significantly.

Penguin researcher Bill Fraser on Litchfield Island, off the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula. From 1,000 breeding pairs of Adelie penguins when he started his research 30 years ago, there are now only 20 pairs. Locally, temperatures have increased 3ºC in the last 30 years and sea ice has declined significantly.

Mount Schrankogl, Austria. Daniela Hohenwallner is counting bryophytes (mosses) and other high altitude flora, in systematically measured out one-meter quadrants. These results will be compared to similar surveys in decades past (and future) to track the climate change impacts on alpine ecosystems.

Mount Schrankogl, Austria. Daniela Hohenwallner is counting bryophytes (mosses) and other high altitude flora, in systematically measured out one-meter quadrants. These results will be compared to similar surveys in decades past (and future) to track the climate change impacts on alpine ecosystems.

Mount Schrankogl, Austria. Daniela Hohenwallner is counting bryophytes (mosses) and other high altitude flora, in systematically measured out one-meter quadrants. These results will be compared to similar surveys in decades past (and future) to track the climate change impacts on alpine ecosystems.

Katie Hein and Dave Harring measure ice thickness on Lake Mendota, Wisconsin. Ice records here go back to 1852, providing an invaluable long term record of winter climate variability and change.

Katie Hein and Dave Harring measure ice thickness on Lake Mendota, Wisconsin. Ice records here go back to 1852, providing an invaluable long term record of winter climate variability and change.

Katie Hein and Dave Harring measure ice thickness on Lake Mendota, Wisconsin. Ice records here go back to 1852, providing an invaluable long term record of winter climate variability and change.

Jason Sun a researcher in the Visualization Lab at the University of Texas, Austin. The screens show an animation of high-resolution ocean temperatures, showing clear features of the ocean circulation and its variability.

Jason Sun a researcher in the Visualization Lab at the University of Texas, Austin. The screens show an animation of high-resolution ocean temperatures, showing clear features of the ocean circulation and its variability.

Jason Sun a researcher in the Visualization Lab at the University of Texas, Austin. The screens show an animation of high-resolution ocean temperatures, showing clear features of the ocean circulation and its variability.

Jeff Pagati sampling the "Coro marl" (the white layer) at Murray Springs, Arizona. This highly distinct layer was deposited during the last ice age (from 40,000 to 15,000 years ago). Fossils within the sediment can help date local changes and climate impacts.

Jeff Pagati sampling the 'Coro marl' (the white layer) at Murray Springs, Arizona. This highly distinct layer was deposited during the last ice age (from 40,000 to 15,000 years ago). Fossils within the sediment can help date local changes and climate impacts.

Jeff Pagati sampling the 'Coro marl' (the white layer) at Murray Springs, Arizona. This highly distinct layer was deposited during the last ice age (from 40,000 to 15,000 years ago). Fossils within the sediment can help date local changes and climate impacts.

Jeff Dorale of the University of Iowa holds a stalagmite from Crevice Cave near Perryville, Missouri. Stalagmites hold a record of climate change in their layers that build up over time.

Jeff Dorale of the University of Iowa holds a stalagmite from Crevice Cave near Perryville, Missouri. Stalagmites hold a record of climate change in their layers that build up over time.

Jeff Dorale of the University of Iowa holds a stalagmite from Crevice Cave near Perryville, Missouri. Stalagmites hold a record of climate change in their layers that build up over time.

The Fleismann's Glass frog photographed at the Frog Pond in Monteverde, Costa Rica. A survey in 1980 noted 300 individual in a 120-meter stretch of the Rio Guacima. In a repeat survey from 1990-1994 there were at most 8 frogs.

The Fleismann's Glass frog photographed at the Frog Pond in Monteverde, Costa Rica. A survey in 1980 noted 300 individual in a 120-meter stretch of the Rio Guacima. In a repeat survey from 1990-1994 there were at most 8 frogs.

The Fleismann's Glass frog photographed at the Frog Pond in Monteverde, Costa Rica. A survey in 1980 noted 300 individual in a 120-meter stretch of the Rio Guacima. In a repeat survey from 1990-1994 there were at most 8 frogs.

A close up of the Bark Beetles. Bark Beetles will not survive a winter that is too cold, but as winters have warmed in Alaska, their survival rate has increased substantially, leading to much more frequent and devastating outbreaks as seen here on the Kenai Peninsula.

A close up of the Bark Beetles. Bark Beetles will not survive a winter that is too cold, but as winters have warmed in Alaska, their survival rate has increased substantially, leading to much more frequent and devastating outbreaks as seen here on the Kenai Peninsula.

A close up of the Bark Beetles. Bark Beetles will not survive a winter that is too cold, but as winters have warmed in Alaska, their survival rate has increased substantially, leading to much more frequent and devastating outbreaks as seen here on the Kenai Peninsula.

Near Hite Marina at the end of Lake Powell, UT. The drought for the last four years has forced the park service to move the marina. The lake is over 50 feet below full pool.

Near Hite Marina at the end of Lake Powell, UT. The drought for the last four years has forced the park service to move the marina. The lake is over 50 feet below full pool.

Near Hite Marina at the end of Lake Powell, UT. The drought for the last four years has forced the park service to move the marina. The lake is over 50 feet below full pool.

A stream of glacial runoff from the Quelccaya ice cap in Peru.

A stream of glacial runoff from the Quelccaya ice cap in Peru.

A stream of glacial runoff from the Quelccaya ice cap in Peru.

Staring out to the Arctic Ocean over a small patch of recently formed pancake sea ice off the coast of Alaska

Staring out to the Arctic Ocean over a small patch of recently formed pancake sea ice off the coast of Alaska

Staring out to the Arctic Ocean over a small patch of recently formed pancake sea ice off the coast of Alaska

In regions that depend on subsistence farming such as southern Ethiopia, food shortages can occur in drought-stricken years.

In regions that depend on subsistence farming such as southern Ethiopia, food shortages can occur in drought-stricken years.

In regions that depend on subsistence farming such as southern Ethiopia, food shortages can occur in drought-stricken years.

A coal burning plant in Conesville, Ohio. The second-from-the-left stack with the white smoke is using lime to reduce sulfur emissions in order to reduce downwind air pollution and acid rain.

A coal burning plant in Conesville, Ohio. The second-from-the-left stack with the white smoke is using lime to reduce sulfur emissions in order to reduce downwind air pollution and acid rain.

A coal burning plant in Conesville, Ohio. The second-from-the-left stack with the white smoke is using lime to reduce sulfur emissions in order to reduce downwind air pollution and acid rain.

Forest fire north of Fairbanks, Alaska with the oil pipeline in the foreground.

Forest fire north of Fairbanks, Alaska with the oil pipeline in the foreground.

Forest fire north of Fairbanks, Alaska with the oil pipeline in the foreground.