Researchers use 'comminution dating' to better understand Antarctica's geological and climatic history
Thursday, November 17, 2016 - 09:01
in Earth & Climate
Although scientists have been studying Antarctica for many years, most research has focused on the conditions of Antarctica as they currently are. Based on this information, scientists have been able to make predictions on both what caused these conditions and how they are likely evolve in the future. But because our understanding of the icy continent is essentially limited to what happened over the last 100 years, our overall knowledge is surprisingly limited. To truly understand Antarctica, scientists must 'see' the continent's geological and climatic history dating back to the late Quaternary period – a history that is literally frozen from sight.