Snail shells reveal hidden history of extreme cyclones
University of Queensland researchers used snail shells to trace extreme weather events, linking growth spurts to specific cyclones.
Researchers from the University of Queensland studied dead shells of the Biggenden banded snail from Coalstoun Lakes in Wide Bay, 350 kilometres north of Brisbane. Growth rings in the shells matched specific cyclone events.
The shells offer a new way to track historical extreme weather. The snail had lived about 4.5 years.
Its shell showed two big growth spurts that matched two cyclones that dumped heavy rain on the site. Official Australian rainfall records only began in 1900.
Snail shells offer a valuable window into older storms. The team hopes to find older preserved shells to extend the record further back.
They want to map past cyclone patterns and rainfall intensity.
- about 4.5 years
- Snail lifespan
- 1900
- Official Australian rainfall records
Why it mattersUnderstanding past extreme weather helps scientists predict future rainfall risk and prepare for cyclones in vulnerable regions.
AustraliaThis Queensland research could help Australia map historical cyclone patterns and improve how we prepare for extreme weather.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
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