Geological Survey of Israel's Mira Bar-Matthews Awarded for Climate Research Using Cave Deposits
Mira Bar-Matthews, a researcher at the Geological Survey of Israel, has been awarded the 2026 Israel Prize in Geology and Earth Sciences for her pioneering work in using cave deposits to study past climates. Her research focuses on speleothems, such as stalactites and stalagmites, which serve as natural archives to reconstruct climate conditions and earthquake activity over extensive periods. Bar-Matthews' work has demonstrated how these formations can preserve detailed records of past climate conditions, precipitation patterns, and even ancient seismic events. Her studies have significantly contributed to understanding the environmental and tectonic history of regions like the Mediterranean and the Middle East. 
