For decades, scientists have warned that our increasing carbon output was putting us in danger from climate change. All current climate models point to a marked warming trend, but they may be missing an important factor. A new NASA-funded study highlights the potential proliferation of so-called “thermokarst lakes” in arctic environments. These bodies of water can thaw vast swaths of permafrost, releasing stored greenhouse gasses, and there might not be anything we can do about it.

About 24 percent of the exposed landmass in the northern hemisphere is covered with permafrost, and much of that permafrost has been frozen for thousands of years. It’s common for a few centimeters of frozen soil to thaw and refreeze during normal seasonal cycles, but scientists have noted a worrying trend where more and more permafrost is thawing and does not refreeze.

This is a…