<
https://theconversation.com/what-octopus-dna-tells-us-about-antarctic-ice-sheet-collapse-218810>
"If we want to understand the future, it’s often useful to look at the past.
And even more useful if you use octopus DNA to peer into worlds long gone.
About 125,000 years ago, the Earth was in its last warm period between ice
ages. Global average temperatures during this interglacial period were about
0.5–1.5°C warmer than pre-industrial levels.
This has strong parallels with our time. For a third of 2023, the Earth’s
temperature has been 1.5°C warmer than the pre-industrial era, driven by
climate change.
For almost 50 years physical scientists have sought the answer to whether or
not the vast West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed the last time global
temperatures were this high. Rather than relying only on geological sampling,
we turned to the DNA of a small Antarctic octopus for clues to the deep past.
The DNA had an answer. Our new research shows yes, it most likely collapsed.
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is very susceptible to warming. If it melts, it
has enough water to raise global sea levels by 3.3 to 5 metres."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
