Overview |
|
 |
| Related Files |
|
| The time was 400,000 years ago, and Earth was just out of one of the
worst ice ages in its history. The planetary rhythms were much
the same as they are today—the shape of Earth’s orbit was nearly
circular; the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
paralleled those of modern times; temperatures may have been warm
enough for a section of the West Antarctic ice sheet to collapse and
raise sea level. The climate system was quite stable for many
years, before plunging into another ice age. But all the while,
there was a key difference: no human influences on the
environment. By examining ancient sediments and ice, earth
scientists are working to figure out what this interval in our geologic
past can tell us about our future. Join scientists from four
continents as they debate the lessons from a previous warm period in
Earth’s history.
|
|
