Few mountains that sport permafrost are monitored as intensively as Germany's Zugspitze. Although the frozen ground on it remains stable for now, climate change is causing it to steadily warm and thaw. Geologist Michael Krautblatter studies these processes in a specialized mountain laboratory. Sensors installed since 2007 continuously record temperatures within the rock.

The data suggests that permafrost at the monitoring site could disappear within 8-10 years. Researchers are investigating how thawing permafrost may affect the mountain's stability, and whether it could increase the risk of rockfalls and landslides.

Early analyses are beginning to reveal what happens when permanently frozen ground melts.