Sunday, June 22, 2025
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
Environmental Magazine
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home Climate Change

Ancient carbon release events reveal Earth’s future climate

March 26, 2022
in Climate Change
A A

By comparing two differently sized but significant releases of greenhouse gases millions of years ago, experts believe they can model how a human-made climate will look. 

Around 56million years ago, a period of extreme global warming took place, now known as the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). The impact of this can still be traced in marine sediment analysis. Now the same team believe a shorter, less damaging warming episode may have taken place earlier, and assessing the difference between the two could help build a picture of where our world is going next. 

The first, smaller warming event has been described as a ‘carbon burp’, and is thought to have been roughly the equivalent to the carbon released in recent centuries due to human activity. This lesser event did not exceed oceanic capacity to absorb greenhouse gases, with that process likely taking a few centuries to complete.  

As such, the environmental impact of this offers a gauge as to what will happen to the planet’s climate if we stopped all emissions immediately. By comparison, the PETM did exceed oceanic capacity, and took hundreds of thousands of years to re-stabilise, causing a dramatic shift in sea chemistry and severely affecting marine life and ecosystems. This can be compared to what may happen if work to reduce emissions does not happen fast enough. 

Modelling was possible thanks to a novel analytics methods developed at the University of Southampton, UK, where first author of the study, Tali Babila, is based. She began working on the project at UC Santa Cruz, US, with co-author James Zachos, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Ida Benson Lynn, Chair of Ocean Health at the California institute. 

‘Previously, thousands of foraminifera fossil shells were needed for boron isotope measurement. Now we are able to analyse a single shell that’s only the size of a grain of sand,’ Babila said of the new approach. 

In related news, last month the results of a five year study into the world’s oceans concluded extreme temperatures are now impacting more than half of the world’s seas, and should be considered a ‘new normal’. 

Image credit: Gabi Scott

Subscribe to our newsletter

ShareTweetSharePinSendShare

Related Articles

Climate Change

In Virginia, Democratic Lawmakers Clash With Youngkin Over RGGI Membership, Flood Relief

February 10, 2025
Climate Change

‘America at War With Itself’: Humanitarian, Climate Aid Becomes Flashpoint in a Battle for Control of U.S. Government

February 4, 2025
Climate Change

Trump Moves Again to Exit the Paris Agreement. Here’s What That Means

January 21, 2025
Climate Change

Trump’s Executive Orders on Climate Will Likely Face Legal Challenges, but Already Threaten Global Fallout

January 21, 2025
Climate Change

‘We Needed More Time’: As Biden Leaves Office, His Climate Legacy Remains Incomplete

January 19, 2025
Climate Change

Border Agency Seeks Solutions With Mexico on Water, Sewage Problems

January 5, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Haringey Council recommends keeping LTNs after reported fall in traffic

December 5, 2024

Trump Fires Clean Energy Leader From TVA Board Without Publicly Providing a Reason

March 28, 2025

Don't miss it

Activism

In California, a Push to Decommission Gas Lines in Low-Income Neighborhoods Moves Forward

June 22, 2025
Activism

The Ecofeminist Movement Is Surging. Here’s What Its Advocates Want

June 21, 2025
Fossil Fuels

Scientists’ Letter Urges Brazil’s President Lula to Reject New Amazon and Offshore Drilling

June 21, 2025
Energy

Ground Source Heat Pump Manufacturers Urge Senators to Preserve Geothermal Tax Credits

June 20, 2025
Energy

Can Solar and Geothermal Energy Help a Church and Its Neighbors Wean Off Fossil Fuels?

June 20, 2025
News

Liquid-hydrogen fuelled concept car unveiled at Le Mans

June 20, 2025
Environmental Magazine

Environmental Magazine, Latest News, Opinions, Analysis Environmental Magazine. Follow us for more news about Enviroment and climate change from all around the world.

Learn more

Sections

  • Activism
  • Air
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Fossil Fuels
  • News
  • Uncategorized
  • Water

Topics

Activism Air Climate Change Energy Fossil Fuels News Uncategorized Water

Recent News

In California, a Push to Decommission Gas Lines in Low-Income Neighborhoods Moves Forward

June 22, 2025

The Ecofeminist Movement Is Surging. Here’s What Its Advocates Want

June 21, 2025

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.