Study Reveals Carbon Dioxide's Central Role in Ancient Climate Transitions
New research shows CO2 levels drove Earth's shift from the Late Paleozoic Ice Age to a warmer Permian period, offering insights into past and future climate dynamics.
- Researchers from the University of St Andrews reconstructed CO2 levels from 335 to 265 million years ago using chemical fingerprints in fossilized brachiopod shells.
- The study found that low atmospheric CO2 levels during the Carboniferous period contributed to the prolonged Late Paleozoic Ice Age, which lasted around 100 million years.
- A rapid rise in CO2 levels approximately 294 million years ago, triggered by large-scale volcanic eruptions, ended the ice age and led to a warmer, drier Permian period.
- This climatic shift marked a turning point in Earth's history, influencing the evolution of life, including the rise of reptiles.
- The findings underscore the pivotal role of CO2 in regulating Earth's climate over geological timescales and provide a potential analog for understanding current and future climate change.
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