Annual Examination of 1.2 Million Ice Seeds
Scientists supported by the European Commission’s ‘Beyond EPICA – Oldest Ice’ project are on a mission to uncover the secrets hidden within ice cores that are over 1.2 million years old. In a recent statement released by the project’s website, researchers have been analyzing atmospheric gases, dust, and isotopic compositions trapped in ice seeds to shed light on the Earth’s climate history.
The ice seeds were extracted from a depth of approximately 2,800 meters in Antarctica and transported to Europe in containers cooled to minus 50 degrees. These precious samples will soon make their way to Italy in April before being sent to laboratories in Germany for further analysis.
Carlo Barbante, the coordinator of the ‘Beyond EPICA’ project, expressed his excitement over the recent success in drilling operations. He stated, “We are on the verge of uncovering the climate history of the past 1.2 million years, and possibly even further back in time. We are eager to delve into the samples and unlock the mysteries of our planet’s ancient past.”
With the potential to reveal invaluable insights into the Earth’s past climate, the research conducted as part of the ‘Beyond EPICA – Oldest Ice’ project holds promise for advancing our understanding of environmental changes over millennia.
