Scientists report that prehistoric glaciers reacted rapidly
to a brief cold snap, providing a rare glimpse of glaciers' response to past
climate change
A new Arctic study in the journal Science is helping to
unravel an important mystery surrounding climate change: How quickly glaciers
can melt and grow in response to shifts in temperature.
According to the new research, glaciers on Canada's Baffin
Island expanded rapidly during a brief cold snap about 8,200 years ago. The
discovery adds to a growing body of evidence showing that ice sheets reacted
rapidly in the past to cooling or warming, raising concerns that they could do
so again as the Earth heats up.