Antarctica Suddenly Became Far More Sensitive to Climate Change 1 Million Years Ago

A new study finds Antarctica’s ice sheet became much more climate-sensitive about 1 million years ago.

Using long-term climate simulations and an ice-sheet model, researchers linked the shift to the Mid-Pleistocene Transition.

Below about 240 ppm CO2, Antarctica responded more strongly to temperature changes and ice volume swings became sharper.

The result points to a CO2-linked tipping threshold that may help explain past ice ages and future sea level risk.