An international team of scientists has achieved a groundbreaking feat in climate research by drilling a core of ice that could hold secrets dating back more than a million years.
The team announced Thursday that it had successfully drilled nearly two miles into the Antarctic bedrock to extract ice that is at least 1.2 million years old.
Why it Matters
The project marks the culmination of a four-year effort by the ‘Beyond EPICA’ team, which includes 16 scientists and support personnel from across Europe.
The research is expected to provide an abundance of data on how Earth’s atmosphere and climate have evolved, offering crucial insights into the dynamics of ice age cycles and the role of atmospheric carbon in climate change.
The European Union funded project, has made significant strides in expanding our understanding of how Earth’s climate has responded to natural forces over vast periods of time.
What to Know
The core was drilled at the site known as Little Dome C, near the Concordia Research Station, one of the most remote locations in Antarctica.
The drilling was carried out each summer over four years in extreme conditions, with temperatures averaging around minus-25.6°F.
How Did Scientists Know the Ice Was So Old?
Isotope analysis confirmed the age of the ice at more than 1.2 million years, providing the team with a snapshot of Earth’s distant past.
Carlo Barbante, project coordinator and glaciologist from Italy’s National Research Council, hailed the drilling as a critical step in understanding historical shifts in greenhouse gases, atmospheric chemicals, and dust levels.
Did Antarctic Researchers Discover More?
The new findings extend the research initiated by the earlier EPICA (European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica) campaign, which revealed that the concentrations of greenhouse gases over the last 800,000 years never exceeded the levels seen since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.
What People Are Saying
Carlo Barbante, project coordinator at Beyond EPICA and glaciologist from Italy’s National Research Council, said: “Thanks to the ice core we will understand what has changed in terms of greenhouse gases, chemicals and dusts in the atmosphere.”
Federico Scoto, an Italian glaciologist involved in the project, described the moment the team reached bedrock in early January as a triumph. He said: “It was a great a moment for us when we reached the bedrock.” He added. “Isotope analysis gave the ice’s age as at least 1.2 million years old.”
Richard Alley, a climate scientist at Penn State University and recent recipient of the National Medal of Science, said: “This is truly, truly, amazingly fantastic. They will learn wonderful things.”
What Happens Now
With their analysis, scientists hope to shed light not only on the climate shifts of the past but also on the long-term impacts of human activities, making this drill core an invaluable resource for future climate research.
This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press
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