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News Release 11-006
Earth's Hot Past: Prologue to Future Climate?
Study of Earth's deep past leads to look into the future
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If carbon dioxide emissions continue on their current trajectory, Earth may someday return to an ancient, hotter climate when the Antarctic ice sheet didn't exist.
Credit: NOAA
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Geoscientist Jeff Kiehl talks about his findings on Earth's potential future climate.
Credit: UCAR
Tree rings, coral reefs and long-frozen ice allow scientists glimpses of distant past climates.
Credit: NOAA
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Scientists learn about past climates through "proxies" such as pollen in lake sediments.
Credit: NOAA
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Cores of sediment drilled from beneath the sea-floor provide information on paleoclimate.
Credit: NOAA
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The researchers' findings are described in the January 14, 2011 issue of the journal Science.
Credit: Copyright AAAS 2011
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