Unearthing Antarctica's Ancient Expansion through Mississippi Mud

Mud cores drilled in Mississippi have provided clues about the formation of major ice sheets on Antarctica and a significant climate cooling event. The cores revealed that falling sea levels led to a release of carbon from coastal environments into the atmosphere, contributing to a temporary brake on climate cooling. The study fills in gaps in the geological record and sheds light on the timeline of the Eocene-Oligocene transition, highlighting the role of the biosphere and carbon cycle in Earth's climate shifts.