Scientists have achieved a groundbreaking feat in Antarctic exploration, drilling nearly two miles into the ice sheet to extract one of the oldest ice cores ever retrieved. The international research team announced on Thursday that the ice core, estimated to be at least 1.2 million years old, will provide invaluable insights into Earth’s atmospheric and climate history.
The ambitious effort, part of the Beyond EPICA (European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica) initiative, involved a team of 16 scientists and support personnel. Over four Antarctic summers, they endured harsh conditions with temperatures averaging minus-35 degrees Celsius (minus-25.6 Fahrenheit) to reach the bedrock at Little Dome C, near the Concordia Research Station.
“Reaching the bedrock was a monumental moment for our team,” said Federico Scoto, an Italian researcher and glaciologist who participated in the drilling. Analysis confirmed that the ice core’s age exceeds 1.2 million years, marking it as one of the oldest ever extracted. The core is expected to offer a wealth of data about greenhouse gases, dust, and chemicals in the atmosphere, painting a clearer picture of Earth’s climatic evolution.
Carlo Barbante, the project coordinator and a glaciologist at Italy’s National Research Council, emphasized the significance of the discovery. “Thanks to this ice core, we will better understand changes in greenhouse gases and their role in shaping the planet’s climate,” Barbante said. He highlighted that past analyses revealed concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane during the warmest periods of the last 800,000 years never exceeded current levels.
“Today, CO2 levels are 50% higher than at any time over the last 800,000 years,” Barbante noted, underscoring the urgency of addressing human impacts on climate.
The ancient ice core is expected to reveal critical details about a pivotal transition in Earth’s Ice Age cycles. Around 1.2 million years ago, glacial cycles shifted from occurring every 40,000 years to intervals of approximately 100,000 years. The reasons behind this change remain unclear, but scientists hope the core’s data will help unlock the mystery.
By examining air bubbles, dust particles, and chemical traces trapped in the ice, researchers aim to reconstruct a comprehensive timeline of atmospheric conditions. This analysis could also inform current strategies for mitigating climate change by providing historical context for the relationship between greenhouse gases and global temperatures.
The Beyond EPICA project, funded by the European Union and supported by numerous European nations, exemplifies international collaboration in polar research. Italy played a leading role in coordinating the project, which builds on the success of a previous EPICA initiative that recovered an 800,000-year-old ice core.
Richard Alley, a renowned climate scientist at Penn State who was not involved in the project, described the breakthrough as “truly, truly, amazingly fantastic.” Alley, a recipient of the National Medal of Science for his work on ice sheets, emphasized the importance of studying ancient ice to understand Earth’s climate history. “Advancements like this help us better understand past climate conditions and offer insights into humanity’s contributions to current changes,” he said.
Reaching the Antarctic bedrock required overcoming extreme logistical and environmental challenges. The drilling process, carried out over multiple years, demanded precision and resilience from the research team. Despite the harsh conditions, the scientists persevered, ultimately achieving their goal.
“This achievement is a testament to the dedication and expertise of everyone involved,” Scoto said. He credited the collective effort of researchers, engineers, and support staff for the mission’s success.
The findings from Beyond EPICA come at a critical juncture, as global CO2 levels have reached unprecedented highs. By comparing modern greenhouse gas concentrations with historical data, scientists hope to deepen public understanding of climate change and inspire actionable solutions.
“We must learn from the past to guide our actions for the future,” Barbante said. He urged policymakers and the global community to use the insights gained from this research to inform strategies for addressing the climate crisis.
As scientists begin analyzing the ancient ice core, the world eagerly awaits the discoveries that could reshape our understanding of Earth’s climate history. The success of Beyond EPICA stands as a remarkable achievement in the ongoing quest to unravel the secrets of our planet’s past.
