Articles tagged with Pleistocene Epoch
A study analyzing ancient polar ice cores reveals a significant increase in atmospheric nitrous oxide concentrations from 16,000 to 10,000 years ago. The rise was caused by changes in environmental conditions, contributing to the warming at the end of the ice age and melting of large ice sheets.
A new study by University of Oregon geologist Edward B. Davis and colleagues found that fossil records of five ancient mammalian species point to weaknesses in ecological niche models and hindcasting methods used to predict future animal and plant habitats.
The discovery of two Ice Age infant remains at the Upward Sun River site in Alaska offers a rare glimpse into the lives of early human societies. The burials, dated to around 11,500 years ago, include grave offerings such as hafted compound weapons and provide insights into funeral practices and social organization.
A new study analyzing an ice core from West Antarctica found three 'pulses' of carbon dioxide increase, each rising about 10-15 parts per million over a period of 1-2 centuries. The researchers suggest that these rapid changes may have been caused by a combination of factors, including terrestrial processes and unknown ocean mechanisms.
A new study found that global sea levels rose at rates of up to 5.5 meters per century at the end of each of the last five ice-age cycles. The research provides a detailed record of sea-level variability over 500,000 years.
A new study documents the warming of Greenland's large ice sheet at the end of the last ice age, resolving a long-standing paradox over when that warming occurred. The researchers used nitrogen isotope ratios to reconstruct air temperatures and found significant warming in response to increasing atmospheric CO2.
Researchers have reconstructed solar activity at the end of the last ice age, showing a persistent link between solar activity and Greenland climate. The study suggests that reduced solar activity could lead to colder winters in Northern Europe, while warmer winters are seen in Greenland with greater snowfall.
Researchers found a previously unknown mechanism linking the closing of the Panama Seaway to increased sea ice formation, intensified monsoons, and global cooling. This led to massive glacier growth across the Northern Hemisphere.
Climate scientists report that deep ocean currents stalled or slowed at around 950,000 years ago, leading to longer and more intense ice ages. The slowdown increased carbon dioxide storage in oceans, keeping temperatures cold and triggering a new phase of colder ice ages.
Researchers found that deep ocean currents stalled or stopped, increasing carbon dioxide storage and suppressing temperatures. This led to longer, more intense ice age cycles, as the climate system entered a new phase of colder but less frequent ice ages.
Over the last 30,000 years, three species of penguins - Chinstrap, Adélie, and southern Gentoo penguins - increased in numbers as Antarctica warmed. However, recent declines in some populations suggest ice is now retreating too far or too fast.
A new study reveals that gentoo penguin populations continue to grow in response to climate warming, while Adélie and chinstrap penguin populations are declining due to reduced krill supplies. The research, led by scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, sheds light on how past climate change affected these species.
A new study identifies a 3- to 5-million-year-old Tibetan fox as the likely ancestor of the living Arctic fox, supporting the 'out of Tibet' hypothesis. The discovery boosts an alternative scenario for the origin of cold-adapted Pleistocene megafauna.
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found that most supposed impact indicators at 29 sites are too old or too young to be remnants of an ancient comet. The researchers tested existing stratigraphic and chronological data sets to determine if these markers dated to the onset of the Younger Dr...
Researchers have developed a new technique using radiometric krypton dating to accurately determine the age of Antarctic ice, dating back up to 1.5 million years. This breakthrough could help reconstruct Earth's climate history and understand the mechanisms that trigger ice ages.
Researchers have developed a new way to determine sea-level changes and deep-sea temperature variability over the past 5.3 million years. The findings provide crucial new information on how ice ages came about, and could help determine the relationship between carbon dioxide levels, global temperatures, and sea levels.
Researchers have discovered new relationships between deep-sea temperature and ice-volume changes to provide insight into the climatic relationships that caused major ice-age cycles. The study found that cooling events and continental ice-volume cycles occurred at different times, contradicting previous theories.
New studies at La Brea Tar Pits reveal significant changes in dire wolf and saber-toothed cat skulls over time, driven by climate change. These adaptations allowed the animals to survive as glaciers receded and climate warmed, providing insights into how species respond to climate change.
Fossil leafcutter bee nest cells containing pupae provide insights into the paleoenvironment of the Late Pleistocene. The study suggests a moderately moist environment with a nearby wooded area and stream or river.
During the last ice age, wind-borne dust carried iron to the Southern Ocean, driving plankton growth and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This process, known as iron fertilization, is believed to have played a key role in amplifying the ice ages.
Researchers have demonstrated that moss can come back to life and continue to grow after over 1,500 years frozen in Antarctic ice. This finding provides exciting new insight into the survival of life on Earth, with implications for the potential survival of complex life forms in permafrost or ice.
Researchers found that species near volcanoes were more likely to survive past ice ages due to the heat and steam from volcanic activity. This discovery could inform conservation efforts in icy regions as humans continue to impact the environment.
A recent study in Nature finds that the Arctic tundra during the last ice age was teeming with colorful wildflowers, providing sustenance for giant grazing animals like woolly mammoths. The research, led by Kansas State University's Joseph Craine, challenges conventional views of the region's vegetation history.
Scientists discovered that the mass extinction of large mammals after the latest Ice Age was linked to changes in vegetation, particularly the loss of protein-rich forbs. This finding provides a new understanding of the role of climate change in shaping ecosystems during the Ice Age.
Researchers analyzed killer whale genomic data and found that populations declined during the last Ice Age due to a bottleneck effect, leading to low genetic diversity except in southern Africa's refuge population.
Researchers have discovered that dust infiltration into the South Pacific Ocean was 2-3 times higher during ice ages than in warm phases. This increased dust supply stimulated biological production and increased the ocean's capacity to bind carbon, leading to a cooling effect on Earth.
Researchers found evidence of massive ice sheets over 1km thick in the Arctic Ocean, contradicting previous assumptions that glaciations only occurred on continents. The discovery reveals four or more generations of ice masses in the region, covering an area as large as Scandinavia.
Researchers reconstructed a 900-year temperature timeline in the Eastern Mediterranean, revealing a medieval warm period and modern warming trend that may not be regional. The study uses stable carbon isotopes in tree rings to analyze environmental conditions and find correlations between temperature fluctuations and tree growth.
Researchers have developed a new method to reconstruct past temperatures in the eastern Mediterranean using tree rings. The study, which covers over 900 years, reveals that the region experienced a medieval warm period and a little ice age, with modern warming trends not reflected in the data.
A new study published in Nature reveals that Antarctic warming began around 22,000 years ago, significantly earlier than previously thought. This finding challenges the long-held assumption that West Antarctica waited for cue from the Northern Hemisphere to start warming.
New research shows Antarctic warming began at least two millennia earlier than previously thought, contradicting the long-held idea of a passive continent. The findings suggest that changes in Earth's orbit may not have been as influential in driving climate change as once believed.
A new study published in Nature reveals that West Antarctica began emerging from the last ice age about 22,000 years ago, earlier than previously thought. The research found that changes in solar energy triggered warming of the region, which was amplified by the release of CO2 from the Southern Ocean.
Researchers used computer simulations to demonstrate that ice-age/warm-period interchange depends on the alternating influence of continental ice sheets and climate. The team found that large-scale glaciation alters sea levels and ocean currents, affecting the climate.
Researchers investigate strain localization, atmospheric CO2, and ultra-high pressure metamorphism, shedding light on geological phenomena. Intensified Southern Hemisphere Westerlies are found to regulate atmospheric CO2 during the last deglaciation, highlighting critical parameters for the global carbon cycle.
Researchers found tiny bubbles of ancient water in Australian quartz grains with different argon isotope ratios than today. This suggests that the energy from the Sun was not enough to freeze all water on Earth until 2.5 billion years ago, leading to the first ice age.
Researchers reconstructed Arctic circulation through sediments and found that protactinium was being swept out of the Arctic before settling to the bottom. This suggests that the water couldn't have been stagnant, contradicting assumptions about the impact of the last ice age on global ocean currents. The study's findings indicate that...
Scientists discover carbon spherules at multiple sites worldwide, indicating a massive comet or meteorite impact altered Earth's atmosphere. This event accelerated global warming and led to mass extinctions, including the demise of wooly mammoths.
Researchers used clumped isotope thermometry to determine temperatures on land during the last ice age, finding a 2-4 times greater increase than previously thought. Climate models that accurately depicted atmospheric processes were more accurate in predicting temperature changes.
Researchers found that wolves and bears were able to adapt their diets in response to changing environments, allowing them to survive after the last ice age. In contrast, large cats such as saber-toothed cats and cave lions were unable to adjust their diets, leading to their decline.
Scientists have discovered a complete geomagnetic field reversal 41,000 years ago in Black Sea sediments, which was associated with rapid climate changes and a massive volcanic eruption. The reversal lasted only 440 years and led to a significant increase in radiation exposure due to a weaker magnetic field.
A new research study by Durham University found that the Little Ice Age enabled arctic foxes to colonize Iceland from different Arctic regions. The genetic diversity of the Icelandic population increased due to this migration, which is attributed to the formation of sea ice during the Little Ice Age.
A new study published in Climate of the Past indicates that CO2 levels and temperature rises follow each other closely in terms of time. The research, conducted at the University of Copenhagen, suggests that the processes in the deep-sea around Antarctica play a key role in the CO2 increase.
A new study reveals that an ice cap and valley glaciers were present in the centre of Dartmoor during the last Ice Age, sculpting its rocky landscape. The research found distinctive outer tors survived while inner tors were destroyed or prevented from forming due to the glacier's presence.
Scientists have found that woolly mammoths' extinction was caused by a combination of climate warming and habitat change, with human-induced climate change mirroring the same pressures. The researchers used radiocarbon dating to create detailed maps of changes in plant species, forest development, and human settlements over time.
Scientists compiled core samples from around the world to reconstruct global temperature and find a strong correlation between rising CO2 and warming at the end of the ice age. CO2 trails Antarctic warming but precedes global temperature change, supporting its role in climate change.
Researchers reconstruct global surface temperatures and find that average temperature correlated with rising CO2 levels, indicating the greenhouse effect played a key role in ending the last Ice Age. The study provides evidence that CO2 caused much of the global warming, contrasting previous efforts that only examined local temperatures.
Researchers found that carbon dioxide accumulated in deep ocean during Ice Ages, causing atmospheric concentration to drop. Stored CO2 was later transported back to sea surface through changing ocean circulation and emitted into atmosphere.
Scientists discovered 13,435- to 13,738-year-old marks on a Jefferson's Ground Sloth femur, indicating prehistoric humans hunted or scavenged the animal. The findings are the oldest evidence of human activity in Ohio and provide new insights into the lives of prehistoric Ohioans.
Research reveals that some Scandinavian conifers survived the harsh ice age climate in small ice-free pockets for tens of thousands of years. The study found two distinct types of spruce trees with different histories, which could have economic significance for tree plantation owners.
Coyotes in North America shrunk from 15-25 kg to 10-18 kg between 11,500 and 10,000 years ago. This sudden shrinkage was likely due to dwindling food supply and changing interactions with competitors, rather than warming climate.
The arrival of the first land plants 470 million years ago led to a series of 'ice ages' as they extracted minerals from rocks, causing chemical weathering and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This cooling effect would have been around five degrees Celsius.
A new University of Colorado Boulder-led study suggests that the Little Ice Age was triggered by a 50-year-long episode of four massive tropical volcanic eruptions. The onset of the cold period is believed to have been caused by an unusual sea ice-ocean feedback system originating in the North Atlantic Ocean.
A new international study provides evidence that an unusual episode of four massive tropical volcanic eruptions may have triggered the onset and persistence of Earth's Little Ice Age. The research suggests a subsequent expansion of sea ice and weakening of Atlantic currents best explain the cold summers following the eruptions.
Current high levels of carbon dioxide are disrupting normal patterns of glaciation, delaying the next ice age by tens of thousands of years. This could lead to a significant increase in sea levels due to melting ice sheets.
Scientists have found that carbon cycling in the terrestrial biosphere was much smaller during the last ice age than in today's warmer climate. The researchers estimate that only about 40 petagrams of carbon were stored in vegetation and soil per year, which is roughly one third of present-day levels.
A recent study reveals that neither human activity nor climate change alone caused the Ice Age megafauna extinctions. However, the research suggests that a combination of factors, including humans and climate change, contributed to the loss of large mammal species in Eurasia and North America.
A new study using genetic, archeological, and climatic data found that humans and climate fluctuations contributed to the extinction of six large Ice-Age mammals. The research suggests that as the Earth warmed after the last ice age, these species were unable to find alternative habitats, leading to their demise.
A new study published in Nature reveals that neither climate change nor humans alone can account for the Ice Age mass extinctions. The research team found that different species responded differently to climate change and human impact, with some being extinct due to a combination of factors.
Svante Björck's study reveals that global warming events have not occurred simultaneously in the two hemispheres for 20,000 years. Instead, temperature changes are regionally specific, with similar effects only occurring during external processes like meteorite crashes or volcanic eruptions.
A new study using radiocarbon dating found that the Northeast Pacific was not an important reservoir of carbon during glacial times, contradicting previous assumptions. The researchers suggest that other potential sources of CO2 during glacial periods need to be explored.