Summers warm up faster than winters, fossil shells from Antwerp show
Researchers measured fossil shells' chemical composition to reconstruct Pliocene climate temperatures, finding summers warmed by 4.3 degrees compared to winters
Paleoclimatology
Articles tagged with Paleoclimatology
2023 was the hottest summer in two thousand years
Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz found that 2023 was the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere in over two millennia, with temperatures 2.07C warmer than the coldest summer on record. The study uses tree ring data to show that global warming is having a profound impact, especially...
Weaker ocean currents lead to decline in nutrients for North Atlantic ocean life during prehistoric climate change, research shows
Researchers found that weaker ocean currents during the Younger Dryas period led to a decline in nutrient availability, resulting in decreased biological productivity in the North Atlantic. This study supports predictions about the impact of climate change on ocean circulation and life.
How the plant world shapes the climate cycle
Researchers have found that plants help regulate the planet's atmosphere by trapping carbon and emitting oxygen, acting as a buffer against rapid climate changes. However, when climate shifts too fast for vegetation to adapt, it can lead to mass extinctions and extreme environmental changes.
Climate change and mercury pollution stressed plants for millions of years
A new study found that massive flood basalt volcanism drove mass-extinction and disturbance, while extreme climate change and Hg-pollution continued to stress plants long after volcanic activity had ceased. The results show that ferns were robust enough to continue thriving despite mercury poisoning.
Ice age climate analysis reduces worst-case warming expected from rising CO2
Researchers analyzed the last ice age to better understand the relationship between CO2 and global temperature. The study finds that the absolute worst-case scenario is unlikely, reducing the estimated warming from doubling CO2 by a full degree.
SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 17, 2024
Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current's flow speed has fluctuated significantly over the past 5.3 million years, with slower speeds during glacial periods and faster speeds during interglacials. This study provides valuable insights into the current's response to climate fluctuations and its impact on Antarctica's ice sheets.
SourceAlfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateMar 27, 2024
New Earth Science Frontiers study highlights achievements of the scientific drilling of Songliao Basin
A groundbreaking scientific drilling project has unearthed the world's longest geological record of the Cretaceous period, spanning over 50 million years. The project, led by Professor Wang Chengshan, has provided crucial insights into paleoclimate research and will continue to aid in predicting future climate trends.
SourceCactus Communications·JournalEarth Science Frontiers·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 18, 2024
Unlocking the climate secrets of North China with ancient tree rings
Researchers have developed a novel method for reconstructing historical warm season temperatures in North China using Picea meyeri tree rings. The study provides a 281-year chronology, revealing seven high-temperature periods and three low-temperature periods over the past 261 years.
Alaska dinosaur tracks reveal a lush, wet environment
Researchers found a rich find of evidence, including 75 fossil tracks and tree stumps, indicating a riverine or delta setting for dinosaurs. The discovery suggests the region received approximately 70 inches of precipitation annually during the mid-Cretaceous Period.
Ice cores provide first documentation of rapid Antarctic ice loss in the past
Researchers found that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet thinned by 450 meters in just under 200 years at the end of the Last Ice Age. The study sheds light on how quickly Antarctic ice could melt if temperatures continue to soar.
Did climate change trigger pandemics in antiquity?
Researchers reconstructed temperature and precipitation patterns for 200 BC to 600 AD, finding a link between climate change and three major pandemics. The study used high-resolution regional climate records and glass particle analyses to confirm the causal relationship.
SourceMARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen·JournalScience Advances·TypeNews article·DateFeb 2, 2024
Homo sapiens already reached northwest Europe more than 45,000 years ago
Researchers discovered human fossils and artifacts at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany, indicating that Homo sapiens arrived in cold northern latitudes before Neanderthals disappeared in southwest Europe. The analysis of ancient DNA and zooarchaeological findings suggests that humans consumed a diverse range of animals during their stay.
Trees struggle to ‘breathe’ as climate warms, researchers find
Researchers found that trees in warmer, drier climates release more CO2 than they absorb, potentially compromising their ability to mitigate climate change. The study used a global dataset of tree tissue to analyze photorespiration rates, which are up to two times higher in warmer climates.
SourcePenn State·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 31, 2024
New climate record for Italy during Roman period reveals role of climate change in social crisis, pandemic disease
A newly published study provides a high-resolution climatic record for ancient Italy, revealing phases of climatic instability that overlap with periods of social and political crisis. The marine core record also shows a strong association between episodes of rapid climate change and epidemics of infectious disease.
Study says ice age could help predict oceans’ response to global warming
Scientists have found that deposits deep under the ocean floor reveal a way to measure ocean oxygen levels and their connections with carbon dioxide during the last ice age. This study could improve predictions of how oceans will respond to global warming.
Orbitally-induced strong monsoons facilitated early human dispersal to East Asia
Researchers found that the Asian summer monsoon's strengthening played a key role in Homo sapiens' dispersal from Africa to East Asia during the last interglacial period. The study integrated paleoanthropological data with high-resolution reconstructions of the monsoon, suggesting a link between climate change and human migration.
SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 10, 2024
A new 66 million-year history of carbon dioxide offers little comfort for today
A new study reveals that the last time atmospheric carbon dioxide reached today's human-driven levels was 14 million years ago, indicating a highly sensitive climate to greenhouse gases. The research also predicts a whopping 5-8 degrees C warming with a doubling of CO2, highlighting the urgent need for present-day climate policy.
Decoding past climates through dripstones
Researchers from SapienCE Centre of Excellence use dripstones to study past climate in South Africa. They found that the region experienced highly variable rainfall and slightly warmer temperatures during a crucial time period for early human occupations.
600 years of tree rings reveal climate risks in California
A new study of 600 years of tree rings from the San Joaquin Valley reveals that climate extremes have been more severe and lasted longer than modern records, highlighting flood and drought risks in California. The research combines paleo information with synthetic weather generation to help understand and anticipate these risks.
The Fens of eastern England once held vast woodlands, study finds
Researchers found preserved yew trees from 4,200 years ago that reveal a sudden sea level rise likely killed the vast woodland. The trees contain valuable information about natural variability and potential links between global climate events.
Funding for cutting-edge research in climate and marine sciences
Two GEOMAR researchers will receive €2 million EU funding over five years to study the Antarctic ice sheet, carbon cycles, and deep-sea biodiversity. Their projects aim to improve climate projections and solve deep-sea mysteries.
Separating out signals recorded at the seafloor
Researchers separate out microbial and environmental controls on marine sedimentary pyrite sulfur isotope ratios, revealing local processes that dominate the record. This breakthrough refutes previous hypotheses and offers a new framework for interpreting ancient signals.
New tool to enable exploration of human-environment interactions
A new tool called dahliagram enables cross-disciplinary collaboration to study past and present human-environmental interactions. The tool allows researchers to analyze and visualize diverse data sources, promoting nuanced understanding and testing hypotheses.
Study links changes in global water cycle to higher temperatures
Researchers have reconstructed a global history of water over the past 2,000 years, showing that the global water cycle has changed during periods of higher and lower temperatures. The study found that when global temperature is higher, rain and other environmental waters become more isotopically heavy.
The Arctic's past provides a glimpse into the future
Researchers will study past 'greenhouse' periods in the Arctic to understand the impact of an ice-free region on the environment and society. The six-year project aims to quantify changes in sea ice and land ice dynamics, as well as ecosystems, to inform climate projections.
Syracuse paleoclimatologists use ancient sediment to explore future climate in Africa
A team of researchers analyzed ancient leaf waxes to study past rainfall and drought patterns. By comparing their data with climate models, they verified how well those models capture past climate change and improved the accuracy of future rainfall predictions.
Deciphering the intensity of past ocean currents
New study uses flume-tank experiments to observe changes in sediment deposits and current velocities, revealing insights into past ocean currents. The findings have huge application potential for understanding climate, pollution transport, and benthic ecology.
SourceMARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 6, 2023
Growth of coral reefs likely cannot keep pace with rising sea level
Research suggests that coral reefs in Belize are experiencing a decline in growth rates, with accretion rates decreasing over the past 9,000 years. This decline has significant implications for tropical island nations and the impact of climate change.
Study: Scientists investigate grand canyon's ancient past to predict future climate impacts
A UNLV study found that a warm period in the early Holocene, when temperatures rose, led to increased summer rainfall and groundwater recharge. The researchers used an ancient stalagmite to analyze precipitation patterns and estimate the potential impact of future climate change on monsoon rains.
SourceUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeObservational study·DateOct 2, 2023
Ancient plant wax reveals how global warming affects methane in Arctic lakes
Researchers studied ancient aquatic plant waxes to understand how global warming affects methane production in Arctic lakes. They found that past warming led to an intensified methane cycle lasting thousands of years, and that ongoing warming could lead to previously under-appreciated fluxes in methane emissions.
Laser-based ice-core sampling for studying climate change
A new laser-based sampling system allows for higher depth resolution, enabling scientists to reconstruct continuous annual temperature changes thousands of years ago. The LMS system overcomes previous limitations in sampling ice cores, preserving critical oxygen and hydrogen isotopes needed to infer past temperatures.
Why do some environmental shocks lead to disaster while others don't?
Researchers analyzed over 150 past crises, revealing that not every ecological shock or climatic anomaly leads to collapse or severe crisis. Societies' cultural, political, and economic dynamics interact with environmental forces to shape their responses.
SourceComplexity Science Hub·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 18, 2023
Geologists at UC Santa Barbara link continental flooding to subduction
Geologists found evidence of subduction at continental margins during periods of continental flooding, which raised sea levels. The study suggests that subduction under Gondwana may have caused the Sauk Transgression, a major flood event in North America's geologic record.
SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 4, 2023
Enhanced chemical weathering: A solution to the climate crisis?
Researchers discovered that blending crushed rock with arable soil could help reduce global temperatures. The process, known as enhanced chemical weathering, works by releasing calcium and magnesium from rocks, which bind atmospheric carbon dioxide and prevent its release back into the atmosphere.
Study: Atmospheric circulation weakens following volcanic eruptions
A new study reveals that volcanic eruptions can temporarily weaken the Pacific Walker Circulation, a major driver of global precipitation. The recent strengthening of this circulation suggests that aerosols from human activity may have an opposite effect on its behavior.
New research suggests a key role of ice age cycles in early human interbreeding
Scientists discovered that climate shifts during the last 400,000 years influenced the frequency of Neanderthal-Denisovan interbreeding. The researchers found that temperature changes triggered habitat overlaps, leading to increased contact between the two species.
SourcePusan National University·JournalScience·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 14, 2023
Extreme cooling ended the first human occupation of Europe
A new study reveals that extreme glacial cooling around 1.1 million years ago caused the extinction of early humans on the continent. The research suggests that the cooling pushed European climate to levels beyond what archaic humans could tolerate, emptying the continent.
A climate-orchestrated early human love story
A recent study reveals that past climate changes and vegetation shifts played a key role in determining when and where early human species interbred. The research suggests that the overlap of habitats led to increased encounters and interactions among groups, increasing the chance of interbreeding.
Drops of seawater contain traces of an ancient world
Researchers linked chemical changes in seawater to volcanic activity and climate change, with a 7-fold decrease in lithium concentration over the past 150 million years. This shift is attributed to reduced seafloor hydrothermal activity, influenced by tectonic plate movements.
Past climate warming driven by hydrothermal vents
Researchers found that hydrothermal vents were active at shallow depths, releasing larger quantities of methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This discovery has significant implications for understanding past climate warming events.
SourceHelmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 3, 2023
Texas A&M chemists, geologists bond over NSF-funded study of clumped isotopes
A team of researchers at Texas A&M University has developed a new model to accurately measure ancient ocean temperatures using clumped isotopes. By understanding the reordering process, they were able to identify the role of water as an accelerator in resetting clumped isotope temperatures.
Another step forward in radiocarbon dating and understanding of Earth climate and environmental processes during glacial times
A new study enhances radiocarbon dating by creating a precise record of atmospheric shifts over 14,000 calendar years BP. This improvement allows for more accurate dating of sub-fossil samples, enabling researchers to reconstruct past environmental and climate changes during glacial times.
Science: Greenland melted recently, shows high risk of sea level rise today
A new study reveals that large portions of Greenland were ice-free tundra landscapes with trees and woolly mammoths 416,000 years ago. The melting caused at least five feet of sea level rise during a moderate warming period.
Scientists find fire records inside sand dunes
Researchers have found sedimentary archives in sand dunes that can reconstruct reliable, multi-millennial fire histories. The discovery aims to expand scientific understanding of fire regimes around the world and uncover the role of humans on fire history.
Massive iceberg discharges during the last ice age had no impact on nearby Greenland, raising new questions about climate dynamics
A new study from Oregon State University found that massive iceberg discharges during the last ice age triggered rapid warming in Antarctica but had no effect on temperatures in Greenland. This discovery challenges current understanding of global climate dynamics and raises more questions than answers.
Quantifying climate conditions for the formation of coals and evaporites
Researchers established quantitative relationships between coals and evapoerites with temperature and precipitation during the Phanerozoic. Coals formed predominantly in equatorial regions, while evaporites formed in subtropical dry zones.
SFU professor unearths the ancient fossil plant history of Burnaby Mountain
Scientists uncovered fossils of palm leaves, hydrangea flowers and extinct plants from the same family as basswood, providing clues about climate conditions 40 million years ago. The discovery sheds light on the warmer temperate to subtropical climate that existed in the area during the late Eocene era.
Ancient forests, seaways, and climate: Lessons from the miocene for today's world
Researchers used a coupled model to simulate ocean circulation and temperature during the MMCO, finding that global average temperature was over 3℃ higher than present. Extensive forest coverage played a significant role in climate regulation, with land temperatures particularly high in the Sahara and high northern latitudes.
SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology·DateMar 30, 2023
PaleoJump: High-quality data for the study of climate tipping points
The PaleoJump database offers a crucial tool for scientists to study abrupt transitions in the climate system. By analyzing pre-evaluated, relevant high-quality data archives, researchers can gain a clearer understanding of past climate change and its potential tipping points.
Wisconsin cave holds tantalizing clues to ancient climate changes, future shifts
A newly published study of a stalagmite in Cave of the Mounds, Wisconsin, provides evidence for massive warming events during the last ice age, with temperature swings up to 10C over a decade. The research suggests a possible link between these events and Dansgaard-Oeschger events in Greenland ice cores.
Keto vs vegan: Study of popular diets finds over fourfold difference in carbon footprints
A new study from Tulane University compared popular diets on nutritional quality and environmental impact, finding that keto and paleo diets scored among the lowest on nutrition quality and had the highest carbon emissions. Vegan diets, on the other hand, generated significantly less carbon dioxide per calorie consumed.
SourceTulane University·JournalAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 28, 2023
Climate: Lessons from the latest global warming
Researchers found that the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, a 5-8°C warming event, was caused by high carbon dioxide and methane levels. The team's study provides new insights into sedimentary systems and the impact of seasonal changes on ocean turbidity.
New technology revolutionizes the analysis of old ice
Researchers at the University of Bern and Empa have developed a new technique to measure greenhouse gases in ancient ice cores, enabling more accurate climate records. The method allows for high-resolution analysis of the oldest ice, which contains 15,000 to 20,000 years of climate history compressed into one meter.
Dolphin-like kentriodontids species might have gone extinct because of global cooling 14 million years ago
A dolphin-like species of kentriodontid, which lived in the western North Pacific, may have gone extinct 14 million years ago. Global cooling is thought to be a key factor in their extinction.
Back to the time of the first Homo Sapiens with a futuristic clock, the new Radiocarbon 3.0
The new Radiocarbon 3.0 method provides valuable new insights into the earliest human history, starting with the interaction between Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals in Europe. This is achieved through updated radiocarbon pretreatment, latest AMS instrumental advances, and the application of the Bayesian model coupled with the new IntCal20.
Before global warming, was the Earth cooling down or heating up?
A review article in Nature suggests that the Earth was likely warmer 6,500 years ago and followed a cooling trend until human-caused warming began. The study's findings highlight uncertainties in climate models and underscore the need for further research on natural climate variability.
Changing climate conditions likely facilitated early human migration to the Americas at key intervals, research suggests
Researchers found two distinct climate intervals where sea ice and ice-free summer conditions likely supported early human migration along the Pacific coastal route. These conditions, occurring from 22,000 to 24,500 years ago and again from 14,800 to 16,400 years ago, may have facilitated movement by providing a more traversable surfac...
SourceOregon State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 6, 2023
Smaller fishes in the deep ocean to be expected with ocean warming
A new study reveals that fishes in the deep ocean are likely to decrease in size with climate warming, which could have significant ecological effects. Researchers analyzed ancient fish otoliths to track changes in body size over glacial and interglacial periods.
SourceInstitut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC)·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 12, 2023
Map of ancient ocean ‘dead zones’ could predict future locations, impacts
Researchers created a map of ancient ocean 'dead zones' to predict future locations and impacts of low oxygen zones in a warmer Earth's oceans. The map showed that during the Pliocene epoch, low-oxygen waters were widespread in the Atlantic Ocean, particularly in the North Atlantic.
SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 4, 2023