Trade Center Dig Exposes Ice Age Landscape

sea-maid submitted, created time 3 months 2 weeks (www.time.com)

Crews excavating the World Trade Center site this summer for the foundations of a new skyscraper have uncovered features carved into the bedrock by glaciers about 20,000 years ago, including a forty-foot-deep pothole

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: minerals bedrock geology Ice Age

Chilling Lessons from Ice Ages Past

Eric wu submitted, created time 10 months 2 weeks (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

Researchers studying the effects of ancient climate patterns on Antarctic waters have reached an alarming conclusion: The inhabitants of those seas were able to cling to life by the thinnest of margins during past ice ages, but they might not be able to weather the temperature increases predicted for the next century. In particular danger are the birds and mammals occupying the top of the food chain, such as emperor penguins and sea lions.

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: marine biology penguins ecology extinction sea lions food chain global climate change climate change antarctica ice age

Polar creatures squeaked through last ice age

jane2007 submitted, created time 10 months 3 weeks (www.nature.com)

The creatures living in Antarctic oceans are accustomed to being cold. But even they barely survived the extra-frigid temperatures of the last ice age, a new study suggests. However, when the waters around Antarctica warm, a host of new warmth-tolerant predators are poised to move in.

1 comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: sharks ecology global warming climate change king crabs seals physiological adaptations penguins polynyas polar creatures ice age

Antarctic plants and animal life survived ice ages

franklin submitted, created time 1 year 3 months (www.biologynews.net)

Springtails, mites, worms and plant life could help solve the mystery of Antarctica’s glacial history according to new research published in the journal Science this week.

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: Antarctic plant animal ice age