TEMPERATURES in Antarctica during warm periods between ice ages soared to up to 6°C warmer than the present day, a new study has shown.
The findings could help us understand more about rapid climate changes, scientists said.
Until now, temperatures during the warm periods between ice ages – known as interglacials – were thought to be only slightly warmer.
But the findings show brief spikes in temperature, which recur roughly every 100,000 years and last a few thousand years, seem to have been a lot warmer.
The new findings could help scientists predict how any melting of ice in the future could affect sea levels.
Scientist Eric Wolff said: “During the last warm period, about 125,000 years ago, sea level was around five metres higher than today.
“If we can pin down how much warmer temperatures were in Antarctica and Greenland at this time, then we can test predictions of how melting of the large ice sheets will contribute to sea level rise.”
