As Texans look for ways to prepare for the next big drought, scientists at the Jackson School of Geosciences are looking to the past for answers. They’re trying to understand what triggers droughts and what turns an ordinary drought into a record-busting mega-drought.
One of the most exciting new research sites is Westcave Preserve about an hour outside of Austin. The cave is special because it acts like a natural thermometer, recording changes in temperatures going back through time. Jackson School graduate student Richard Casteel gives a tour of the cave and explains how the cave formations offer clues to past and future droughts in Central Texas.
