SGScientists have identified a geological process that explains why Antarctica developed an ice sheet much earlier than the Arctic. Around 34 million years ago, Antarctica began to freeze over, forming the East Antarctic ice sheet, while the Arctic remained unfrozen until later. Researchers used computational models to analyze the region's topography and discovered that mantle waves—slow movements deep within the Earth—caused the uplift of mountain ranges in eastern Antarctica. This uplift created conditions necessary for glaciers to form and for permanent ice to establish. The study, led by geoscientist Thomas Gernon of the University of Southampton, suggests that this process, linked to the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, influenced the timing and location of major ice sheet formations during the Eocene-Oligocene transition, marking a shift from a warm greenhouse climate to the cooler conditions we see today.
Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific research without overt ideological framing. It focuses on geological processes and scientific findings rather than political positions or advocacy. While the topic relates to environmental changes, the article does not take a stance on policy or political action, thus
