Preliminary dating, based on the presence of fossilized algae that only existed during specific geological periods, suggests that the core represents an archive of the past 23 million years. This includes periods when Earth's average surface temperature was hotter than today's ' and higher than the temperature projected for 2100 under current global climate policies. The core was retrieved as part of the Sensitivity of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to 2 'C (SWAIS2C) project. It aims to determine how far the West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreated during previous periods of global warming, and whether there is a temperature threshold after which its retreat becomes irreversible. Antarctica holds most of the world's fresh water locked up in ice. Melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet alone would raise global sea levels by up to five metres. It is already losing mass at an accelerating rate, and scientists are concerned that further warming could trigger rapid changes. The team drilled at...
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