admin A 1.5 million-year-old Antarctic ice core has arrived in the UK, where scientists are beginning to melt it in a bid to uncover new insights into Earth’s past climate. This ancient ice, drilled from deep beneath the Antarctic ice sheet, could help explain how climate systems evolved over time and what lies ahead.
The rare Antarctic ice core sample was transported to the British Antarctic Survey facility in Cambridge, after a massive multinational effort spanning years. It was extracted from a site 40km away from the Concordia research station in East Antarctica. Engineers cut 2.8km of ice into metre-long sections, which were kept in freezing conditions throughout their journey to preserve their integrity.
Now, inside a -23°C cold lab, scientists will slowly melt the core over seven weeks. As the ancient ice turns to water, it will release particles such as dust, volcanic ash, sea salts, and tiny algae called diatoms, all locked inside since the ice first formed more than a million years ago. These elements are expected to provide a new understanding of climate change patterns and atmospheric conditions during prehistoric times.
Leading the study is Dr. Liz Thomas, head of ice core research at the British Antarctic Survey. She says the data could be transformative, as it offers a window into a “completely unknown period of our Earth’s history.” Scientists will use an advanced tool called an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICPMS) to detect over 20 elements and trace metals in the melted water.
This effort aims to investigate a key moment in climate history known as the Mid-Pleistocene Transition, a time between 800,000 and 1.2 million years ago when the Earth’s glacial cycles suddenly changed. Previously, glacial periods occurred every 41,000 years, but the cycle abruptly shifted to every 100,000 years. Understanding why this happened could be critical to interpreting today’s climate instability.
Unlike previous eras, today’s rapid warming is caused by human activities. However, looking at historical climate shifts helps scientists predict the possible consequences of high carbon dioxide levels. The core might also reveal when Antarctic ice sheets were smaller and sea levels much higher, providing urgent insights as the planet continues to warm.
This unprecedented study may soon deliver vital answers locked inside Earth’s oldest ice.
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