"Unearthing Greenland's Ancient Soil: A Dire Warning for the Future"

Scientists have determined that Greenland was mostly ice-free about 416,000 years ago, with ice-free conditions lasting for as much as 14,000 years. This period, known as MIS 11, provides important insights into the Earth's past climate and offers warnings for the future. The study, based on frozen soil extracted during the Cold War from beneath the Greenland ice sheet, reveals that the ice sheet must have significantly shrunk during that time, causing global sea levels to rise by at least 5 feet. With current carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere 1.5 times higher than during MIS 11, the findings highlight the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change to prevent a largely ice-free future for Greenland and the associated consequences of rising sea levels.