Scientists uncover why Antarctica became engulfed by ice millions of years before the Arctic

Phys.orgIndependentCenteryesterday

Scientists have identified why Antarctica became covered in ice millions of years earlier than the Arctic, despite Earth being significantly warmer at the time. The study, published in Science, reveals that geological processes during the Jurassic period caused parts of East Antarctica to rise, creating elevated terrain that allowed ice accumulation. This uplift, driven by 'mantle waves' beneath the continent, enabled the formation of the massive East Antarctic Ice Sheet 34 million years ago. The research involved multiple institutions across Europe and used computer simulations to model landscape changes over 100 million years. The findings help explain how such a large ice sheet could develop in a relatively warm climate.

Bias read (Center): The article discusses scientific research on glacial formation and does not present any political positions, arguments, or policy implications. It focuses purely on geological processes and their climatic effects, without framing or bias toward any political ideology.