Experiment Reveals the Future Amazon — in Pictures

Scientists are running a bold experiment in the Amazon rainforest. Their goal: to see what the jungle will look like decades from now, as climate change raises temperatures and shifts rainfall. The project, known as AmazonFACE, pumps extra carbon dioxide (CO2) into sealed forest plots. CO2 is the main gas driving global warming. Higher levels of it can sometimes help plants grow — but only if they have enough water and nutrients. Researchers want to know whether the Amazon can keep absorbing CO2, or whether it will start releasing it instead. That answer matters for the entire planet. The Amazon stores vast amounts of carbon. If it dies back, the release could speed up climate change worldwide. Towers surround each plot, releasing gas that mimics future conditions. Sensors then track how trees grow, breathe, and use water. The experiment is still running. But its early images offer a rare, striking look at a forest facing its own future.