Humans Accidentally Canceled Next Ice Age, Scientists Say
Summary
Human greenhouse gas emissions have interrupted the natural cycle that would have led to the next ice age, scientists say. A study in Science finds that warming since the 1960s reversed the growth of the Barnes Ice Cap and could delay the next ice age by millions of years.
Key Points
- A new study in Science says the next ice age had already begun about 2,000 years ago before human-caused warming reversed it.
- Researchers found that the Barnes Ice Cap in Canada began expanding again around 2,000 years ago, marking the start of a new ice-growth phase.
- By the 1960s, rising greenhouse gas emissions had warmed the planet enough to stall that expansion.
- Scientists warn that future emissions could delay the next ice age for millions of years and alter Earth's climate cycle.
