Researchers have discovered that the genomes of Caribbean and Pacific crocodiles in Panama were impacted due to sea-level changes during the Ice Age.

The study conducted by researchers from McGill University was published on Sunday.

Crocodiles are resilient animals from a lineage that has survived for over 200 million years.&nbsp;Skilled swimmers, crocodiles can travel long distances and live in freshwater to marine environments. But they can't roam far overland.&nbsp;

American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) are found in the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of the Neotropics but they arrived in the Pacific before Panama existed, according to new research.

Over 3 million years ago, the formation of the Isthmus of Panama altered global ocean circulation, connecting North and South America and establishing the Caribbean Sea. This resulted in widespread mixing of species on the continent and separation in the seas.

On land, mammals from North America such as mammoths, sabre-toothed cats, horses, and camels invaded South America, and strange mammals like giant ground sloths, armadillos, and opossums from South America invaded North America. This event is known as the Great American Interchange, and the opposite happened in the seas, where new species of corals, clams, and fishes evolved in the separated Pacific and Caribbean waters.

Researchers have long suspected that American crocodiles living on the Pacific coast should have diverged genetically enough from Caribbean populations to become unique species.

But&nbsp;how distant are the Pacific and Caribbean populations from each other and do they match the geological record?

"We assumed we would detect significant genetic differences between Pacific and Caribbean crocodile populations that were isolated for the past 3 million years," thought Jose Avila-Cervantes, a recent PhD graduate of McGill University under the supervision of Professor Hans Larsson.

To test this, Avila-Cervantes captured and took blood samples of crocodiles from several populations living on both coasts of Panama. Back at McGill University, he sequenced their genomes to look for small variations in their DNA.He used the genetic differences to estimate how much evolutionary divergence and gene flow existed between populations.&nbsp;

With this information, the team found that Pacific and Caribbean crocodile populations have been separated for only about 100,000 years."This time of separation is a far cry from the 3 million years we were expecting," said Professor Larsson, Director of the Redpath Museum at McGill. "But it did match the last interglacial period of the Ice Age."

Glacial and interglacial cycles in the Ice Age mark periods of peak polar glaciations separated by relatively warm times. These warm times caused sea levels to rise over 100 meters globally compared to present-day levels.&nbsp;

Using the record of Ice Age sea levels, Avila-Cervantes was able to reconstruct what Panama would have looked like during these peak cold and warm periods of the Ice Age."It surprised us to see that during the warm interglacial periods, most of Panama was underwater with the coasts separated by brackish lagoons, small rivers, and thin stretches of land," said Avila-Cervantes.&nbsp;

"These are the reasons why we think crocodiles were able to pass from coast to coast freely and explain why their oldest genetic signature of separation coincides with this time."

A second younger signature of genetic separation is timed to about 20,000 years ago and coincides with the last glaciation cycle that they found made Panama about twice as wide as it is today, and probably a good barrier for these crocodiles.&nbsp;

"This is one of the first studies to implicate Ice Age glaciation-interglaciation cycles with the evolution of a tropical organism."

Yet the researchers discovered there is some genetic divergence between the populations on each coast despite the frequent inter-glaciations, and this diversity is at risk due to habitat destruction from human development.&nbsp;

"It was difficult to find any population living on the Pacific coast near the Panama Canal," said Avila-Cervantes.

One of the best-preserved populations is in the middle of the Panama Canal on the Barro Colorado Island Nature Monument. "Preserving the population around this island may be our best chance to preserve the unique genetic signatures of Panamanian American crocodiles," said Professor Larsson."

The study not only highlights the resilience of crocodiles to ancient climate changes and their great capacity to survive large geological events but also their vulnerability to voracious need of human beings to modify their environments. 
&nbsp;

Researchers have discovered that the genomes of Caribbean and Pacific crocodiles in Panama were impacted due to sea-level changes during the Ice Age. The study conducted by researchers from McGill University was published on Sunday.

Researchers have discovered that the genomes of Caribbean and Pacific crocodiles in Panama were impacted due to sea-level changes during the Ice Age. The study conducted by researchers from McGill University was published on Sunday. Crocodiles are resilient animals from a lineage that has survived for over 200 million years. Skilled swimmers, crocodiles can travel long distances and live in freshwater to marine environments. But they can't roam far overland. American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) are found in the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of the Neotropics but they arrived in the Pacific before Panama existed, according to new research. Over 3 million years ago, the formation of the Isthmus of Panama altered global ocean circulation, connecting North and South America and establishing the Caribbean Sea. This resulted in widespread mixing of species on the continent and separation in the seas. On land, mammals from North America such as mammoths, sabre-toothed cats, horses, and camels invaded South America, and strange mammals like giant ground sloths, armadillos, and opossums from South America invaded North America. This event is known as the Great American Interchange, and the opposite happened in the seas, where new species of corals, clams, and fishes evolved in the separated Pacific and Caribbean waters. Researchers have long suspected that American crocodiles living on the Pacific coast should have diverged genetically enough from Caribbean populations to become unique species. But how distant are the Pacific and Caribbean populations from each other and do they match the geological record? "We assumed we would detect significant genetic differences between Pacific and Caribbean crocodile populations that were isolated for the past 3 million years," thought Jose Avila-Cervantes, a recent PhD graduate of McGill University under the supervision of Professor Hans Larsson. To test this, Avila-Cervantes captured and took blood samples of crocodiles from several populations living on both coasts of Panama. Back at McGill University, he sequenced their genomes to look for small variations in their DNA.He used the genetic differences to estimate how much evolutionary divergence and gene flow existed between populations. With this information, the team found that Pacific and Caribbean crocodile populations have been separated for only about 100,000 years."This time of separation is a far cry from the 3 million years we were expecting," said Professor Larsson, Director of the Redpath Museum at McGill. "But it did match the last interglacial period of the Ice Age." Glacial and interglacial cycles in the Ice Age mark periods of peak polar glaciations separated by relatively warm times. These warm times caused sea levels to rise over 100 meters globally compared to present-day levels. Using the record of Ice Age sea levels, Avila-Cervantes was able to reconstruct what Panama would have looked like during these peak cold and warm periods of the Ice Age."It surprised us to see that during the warm interglacial periods, most of Panama was underwater with the coasts separated by brackish lagoons, small rivers, and thin stretches of land," said Avila-Cervantes. "These are the reasons why we think crocodiles were able to pass from coast to coast freely and explain why their oldest genetic signature of separation coincides with this time." A second younger signature of genetic separation is timed to about 20,000 years ago and coincides with the last glaciation cycle that they found made Panama about twice as wide as it is today, and probably a good barrier for these crocodiles. "This is one of the first studies to implicate Ice Age glaciation-interglaciation cycles with the evolution of a tropical organism." Yet the researchers discovered there is some genetic divergence between the populations on each coast despite the frequent inter-glaciations, and this diversity is at risk due to habitat destruction from human development. "It was difficult to find any population living on the Pacific coast near the Panama Canal," said Avila-Cervantes. One of the best-preserved populations is in the middle of the Panama Canal on the Barro Colorado Island Nature Monument. "Preserving the population around this island may be our best chance to preserve the unique genetic signatures of Panamanian American crocodiles," said Professor Larsson." The study not only highlights the resilience of crocodiles to ancient climate changes and their great capacity to survive large geological events but also their vulnerability to voracious need of human beings to modify their environments.

Sea-level changes during the Ice Age affected crocodile evolution

A study published on Wednesday claims that teeth from mammoths buried in the Siberian permafrost have revealed the world's oldest DNA ever sequenced.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mammoths-oldest-dna-found-in-eastern-siberia-364475/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Researchers said the three specimens, one about 800,000 years old and the other two more than a million year old, sheds light on the giant Ice Age mammals, reports news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/where-did-the-asteroid-which-wiped-out-dinosaurs-came-from-scientists-answer-363987">Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer</a>

These far exceed the previously oldest sequenced DNA that of a horse dating between 780,000 to 560,000 years ago.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-life-where-it-shouldnt-exist-in-antarctica-363842">Scientists discover life where it shouldn't exist in Antarctica</a>

"This DNA is incredibly old. The samples are a thousand times older than Viking remains, and even pre-date the existence of humans and Neanderthals," said Love Dalen, senior author of the study.&nbsp;

The study was published in the science journal Nature.&nbsp;

The mammoths were first found in the 1970s in Siberia and were kept at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow.&nbsp;

Scientists first dated the specimens geologically, with comparisons to species like small rodents, which suggested that the two mammals were more than a million years old.&nbsp;

The youngest of the three specimens is one of the earliest woolly mammoths found so far.&nbsp;

Genetic data from tiny samples of powder from each mammoth tooth was also discovered which was "essentially like a pinch of salt you would put on your dinner plate," Dalen, who is also a professor of evolutionary genetics at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm, told a press briefing.&nbsp;

From these tooth samples, researchers sequenced tens of millions of chemical base pairs, which make up the strands of DNA, and were able to find age estimates.

This method revealed that the oldest mammoth, named Krestovka, is even older at about 1.65 million years old.

The second-oldest Adycha is approximately 1.34 million years old, and the Chukochya is 870,000 years old.

 
&nbsp;

A study published on Wednesday claims that teeth from mammoths buried in the Siberian permafrost have revealed the world's oldest DNA ever sequenced. Watch | Researchers said the three specimens, one about 800,000 years old and the other two more than a million year old, sheds light on the giant Ice Age mammals, reports news agency AFP.

A study published on Wednesday claims that teeth from mammoths buried in the Siberian permafrost have revealed the world's oldest DNA ever sequenced. Watch | Researchers said the three specimens, one about 800,000 years old and the other two more than a million year old, sheds light on the giant Ice Age mammals, reports news agency AFP. Also read | Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer These far exceed the previously oldest sequenced DNA that of a horse dating between 780,000 to 560,000 years ago. Also read | Scientists discover life where it shouldn't exist in Antarctica "This DNA is incredibly old. The samples are a thousand times older than Viking remains, and even pre-date the existence of humans and Neanderthals," said Love Dalen, senior author of the study. The study was published in the science journal Nature. The mammoths were first found in the 1970s in Siberia and were kept at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. Scientists first dated the specimens geologically, with comparisons to species like small rodents, which suggested that the two mammals were more than a million years old. The youngest of the three specimens is one of the earliest woolly mammoths found so far. Genetic data from tiny samples of powder from each mammoth tooth was also discovered which was "essentially like a pinch of salt you would put on your dinner plate," Dalen, who is also a professor of evolutionary genetics at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm, told a press briefing. From these tooth samples, researchers sequenced tens of millions of chemical base pairs, which make up the strands of DNA, and were able to find age estimates. This method revealed that the oldest mammoth, named Krestovka, is even older at about 1.65 million years old. The second-oldest Adycha is approximately 1.34 million years old, and the Chukochya is 870,000 years old.

Million-year-old mammoths teeth reveal world's oldest DNA ever sequenced

The Walt Disney Co. is closing their `Blue Sky Studios`, the animation production house behind the much-loved series Ice Age, Rio, and many more.The American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate, Disney has made a move to close the studio that churned out more than 13 iconic films since Fox bought it in 1999.

According to Deadline, this decision came after Disney faced an economic crisis due to the COVID-19 induced pandemic. Not only this but also due to the monetary losses, the company shut down its theme parks and cruise lines. However, the pending project of the Ice age series from the studio library will be helmed by Disney itself.

An Ice Age series for Disney+ that was first declared during a year ago`s financial backers gathering, is as yet being developed. The `Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild`, highlighting the voice of Simon Pegg, is scheduled to show up early by 2022. Whereas, the much-anticipated animation feature drama based on the novel by Noelle Stevenson `Nimona`, was likewise removed completely from Disney`s schedule and will no longer be released.

The film was another Fox title and had 10 months left of creation. It was last scheduled for theatres on Jan. 14, 2022, reported by Deadline. Blue Sky Studios was originally founded in 1986 by Alison Brown, David Brown, Michael Ferraro, Carl Ludwig, Dr. Eugene Troubetzkoy, and Chris Wedge, according to the studio`s website. In their early days, the team worked on photorealistic CG effects on Joe`s Apartment (1996), A Simple Wish (1997), Alien Resurrection (1997), and Fight Club (1999).

Bunny became their first of what would later grow into a collection of short films in 1998. As per Deadline, the last day for the Blue Sky studio will be in April. The number of employees being affected is&nbsp;450. Disney will be working with the employees at the Greenwich, CT-based studio to explore open positions at the other internal studios.&nbsp;

The Walt Disney Co. is closing their `Blue Sky Studios`, the animation production house behind the much-loved series Ice Age, Rio, and many more.The American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate, Disney has made a move to close the studio that churned out more than 13 iconic films since Fox bought it in 1999.

The Walt Disney Co. is closing their `Blue Sky Studios`, the animation production house behind the much-loved series Ice Age, Rio, and many more.The American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate, Disney has made a move to close the studio that churned out more than 13 iconic films since Fox bought it in 1999. According to Deadline, this decision came after Disney faced an economic crisis due to the COVID-19 induced pandemic. Not only this but also due to the monetary losses, the company shut down its theme parks and cruise lines. However, the pending project of the Ice age series from the studio library will be helmed by Disney itself. An Ice Age series for Disney+ that was first declared during a year ago`s financial backers gathering, is as yet being developed. The `Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild`, highlighting the voice of Simon Pegg, is scheduled to show up early by 2022. Whereas, the much-anticipated animation feature drama based on the novel by Noelle Stevenson `Nimona`, was likewise removed completely from Disney`s schedule and will no longer be released. The film was another Fox title and had 10 months left of creation. It was last scheduled for theatres on Jan. 14, 2022, reported by Deadline. Blue Sky Studios was originally founded in 1986 by Alison Brown, David Brown, Michael Ferraro, Carl Ludwig, Dr. Eugene Troubetzkoy, and Chris Wedge, according to the studio`s website. In their early days, the team worked on photorealistic CG effects on Joe`s Apartment (1996), A Simple Wish (1997), Alien Resurrection (1997), and Fight Club (1999). Bunny became their first of what would later grow into a collection of short films in 1998. As per Deadline, the last day for the Blue Sky studio will be in April. The number of employees being affected is 450. Disney will be working with the employees at the Greenwich, CT-based studio to explore open positions at the other internal studios.

Disney to shut down 'Ice Age' franchise animation house 'Blue Sky Studios'

A new study on glaciers has said that Mars has been hit by six and 20 ice ages in the past 300 to 800 million years.&nbsp;

In the last ice age that arrived on Earth about 2,000 years ago, our planet got covered in glaciers, but gradually these glaciers retreated to the poles.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-want-to-turn-mars-green-how-will-they-do-it-357498">Scientists want to turn Mars green. How will they do it?</a>

However, the glaciers on Mars never left as they remained frozen on the red planet's surface with an average temperature of minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit for over 300 years covered in debris.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomical-breakthrough-scientists-record-humming-sound-of-the-universe-357440">'Astronomical breakthrough': Scientists record humming sound of the Universe</a>

"All the rocks and sand carried on that ice have remained on the surface," said research's author Joe Levy, a planetary geologist and assistant professor of geology at Colgate University in New York, in a statement.&nbsp;

"It's like putting the ice in a cooler under all those sediments."

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences on Monday, reported CNN.&nbsp;

Researchers have long tried to work out how glaciers have been formed in Mars and this research could provide an answer to these questions.&nbsp;

Levy found out that since the rocks erode with time, the discovery of rocks that moved from larger to smaller in sizes downhill would suggest one ice age.

He also said that he and 10 students at Colgate University studied Mars' surface by images of 45 glaciers taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

The images with high resolution helped the researchers count the rocks and determine their size.&nbsp;

The magnification of the photographs let the team "see things the size of a dinner table" on the red planet's surface, the lead author said. 
&nbsp;

A new study on glaciers has said that Mars has been hit by six and 20 ice ages in the past 300 to 800 million years. In the last ice age that arrived on Earth about 2,000 years ago, our planet got covered in glaciers, but gradually these glaciers retreated to the poles.

A new study on glaciers has said that Mars has been hit by six and 20 ice ages in the past 300 to 800 million years. In the last ice age that arrived on Earth about 2,000 years ago, our planet got covered in glaciers, but gradually these glaciers retreated to the poles. Also read | Scientists want to turn Mars green. How will they do it? However, the glaciers on Mars never left as they remained frozen on the red planet's surface with an average temperature of minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit for over 300 years covered in debris. Also read | 'Astronomical breakthrough': Scientists record humming sound of the Universe "All the rocks and sand carried on that ice have remained on the surface," said research's author Joe Levy, a planetary geologist and assistant professor of geology at Colgate University in New York, in a statement. "It's like putting the ice in a cooler under all those sediments." The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences on Monday, reported CNN. Researchers have long tried to work out how glaciers have been formed in Mars and this research could provide an answer to these questions. Levy found out that since the rocks erode with time, the discovery of rocks that moved from larger to smaller in sizes downhill would suggest one ice age. He also said that he and 10 students at Colgate University studied Mars' surface by images of 45 glaciers taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The images with high resolution helped the researchers count the rocks and determine their size. The magnification of the photographs let the team "see things the size of a dinner table" on the red planet's surface, the lead author said.

Mars' glaciers give insights on the planet's many ice ages

The Amazon rainforest, which produces about 20 per cent of the Earth's atmosphere's oxygen, will collapse and largely become a dry, shrubby plain in next 45 years. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/wion-edit-amazon-fires-challenge-to-india-and-developing-world-246303">WION Edit: Amazon Fires - Challenge to India and Developing World</a> 
 
According to the predictions of the scientist Robert Walker in the new paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Environment, world’s largest tropical rainforest, Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064 due to alarming levels of deforestation and droughts occurring in the region from the climate change.&nbsp;

In a new report for Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development geologist Walker reviews recent research on the Amazon rainforest to reach the grim conclusion.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/amazon-suffers-worst-fire-in-decades-the-entire-amazon-spade-9-countries-332158/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"A forest cannot survive if its canopy needs more than 4 years to recover from a yearly (drought) event," Walker wrote in the report. "Southern Amazonia can expect to reach a tipping point sometime before 2064 at the current rate of dry-season lengthening."

The number of fires this year in the Amazon had exceeded last year's horror fire season by October.&nbsp; 
And we humans destroyed another 1,202 square km (464 square miles) of forest in Brazil during the first four months of 2020 - 55 percent more than during the same time last year.

The loss of biodiversity and invaluable habitats, release of carbon from the fires, and other socioeconomic and environmental consequences have concerned scientists around the world.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Amazon rainforest, which produces about 20 per cent of the Earth's atmosphere's oxygen, will collapse and largely become a dry, shrubby plain in next 45 years.

The Amazon rainforest, which produces about 20 per cent of the Earth's atmosphere's oxygen, will collapse and largely become a dry, shrubby plain in next 45 years. WION Edit: Amazon Fires - Challenge to India and Developing World According to the predictions of the scientist Robert Walker in the new paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Environment, world’s largest tropical rainforest, Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064 due to alarming levels of deforestation and droughts occurring in the region from the climate change. In a new report for Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development geologist Walker reviews recent research on the Amazon rainforest to reach the grim conclusion. "A forest cannot survive if its canopy needs more than 4 years to recover from a yearly (drought) event," Walker wrote in the report. "Southern Amazonia can expect to reach a tipping point sometime before 2064 at the current rate of dry-season lengthening." The number of fires this year in the Amazon had exceeded last year's horror fire season by October. And we humans destroyed another 1,202 square km (464 square miles) of forest in Brazil during the first four months of 2020 - 55 percent more than during the same time last year. The loss of biodiversity and invaluable habitats, release of carbon from the fires, and other socioeconomic and environmental consequences have concerned scientists around the world. (With inputs from agencies)

Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064, new study predicts

Researchers have found thousands of rock art pictures that show gigantic Ice Age creatures like mastodons, among others.&nbsp;

These artworks in Amazon rainforest in Colombia were probably made about 11,800 to 12,600 years ago, according to a press release from researchers at the Britain's University of Exeter.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/just-how-cold-was-the-ice-age-exactly-324786#:~:text=%7C%20AFP,average%20temperature%20of%20the%20planet.">Just how cold was the Ice Age exactly?</a>

The paintings are made in three different rock shelters.&nbsp;

Situated in the Serranía La Lindosa in Colombia, the rock art shows how earlier living beings of the area used to have co-existed with Ice Age megafauna, with pictures depicting what looks like camelids, mastodons, sloths, horses and three-toed ungulates with trunks.

"These really are incredible images, produced by the earliest people to live in western Amazonia," said Mark Robinson, an archaeologist from the University of Exeter, as quoted by CNN.&nbsp;

"The paintings give a vivid and exciting glimpse in to the lives of these communities. It is unbelievable to us today to think they lived among, and hunted, giant herbivores, some which were the size of a small car."

Human figures, geometric shapes and hunting scenes were seen in some of the other pictures.&nbsp;

Animals, including bats, deer, tapirs, alligators, monkeys, turtles, porcupines and serpents can also be seen from the art.&nbsp;

Researchers have found thousands of rock art pictures that show gigantic Ice Age creatures like mastodons, among others. These artworks in Amazon rainforest in Colombia were probably made about 11,800 to 12,600 years ago, according to a press release from researchers at the Britain's University of Exeter.

Researchers have found thousands of rock art pictures that show gigantic Ice Age creatures like mastodons, among others. These artworks in Amazon rainforest in Colombia were probably made about 11,800 to 12,600 years ago, according to a press release from researchers at the Britain's University of Exeter. Also read | Just how cold was the Ice Age exactly? The paintings are made in three different rock shelters. Situated in the Serranía La Lindosa in Colombia, the rock art shows how earlier living beings of the area used to have co-existed with Ice Age megafauna, with pictures depicting what looks like camelids, mastodons, sloths, horses and three-toed ungulates with trunks. "These really are incredible images, produced by the earliest people to live in western Amazonia," said Mark Robinson, an archaeologist from the University of Exeter, as quoted by CNN. "The paintings give a vivid and exciting glimpse in to the lives of these communities. It is unbelievable to us today to think they lived among, and hunted, giant herbivores, some which were the size of a small car." Human figures, geometric shapes and hunting scenes were seen in some of the other pictures. Animals, including bats, deer, tapirs, alligators, monkeys, turtles, porcupines and serpents can also be seen from the art.

Amazing 8-mile-long art work of ice age beasts found in Amazon rainforest

In what can be described as a miraculous discovery, Russian scientists have discovered a 39,000-year-old perfectly preserved cave bear and cub in Siberia. Cave bears were prehistoric species or subspecies that lived in Eurasia from around 300,000 to 15,000 years ago. Up until now, only bones had been found of the bears.

Russia: 39,000-year-old cave bear's remains found intact in Siberia

Ever wondered just how cold the last Ice Age was? Were there only glaciers scattered across the planet with no vegetation in sight? Scientists know the exact answer.

After studying ocean plankton fossils and climate models, scientists have reached a conclusion on exactly how cold the last Ice Age was.&nbsp;

The last Ice Age covered swathes of land across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, even places were ice is not common.

<h6><img alt="Ecuadorian paleontologist Jose Luis Roman, cleans the jaw of a toxodon found at the Azuay province (Ecuadorian Andes), at the paleontology laboratory of the Escuela Politecnica Nacional (National Polytechnic School) in Quito on August 18, 2020. Ecuadorian paleontologist Jose Luis Roman, curator of the paleontology collection of Quito's National Polytechnic School (EPN), who recently discovered -with the help of Argentinian investigators- a species of giant owl that lived 40,000 years ago, is now searching for tiny mice teeth to recreate the Ice Age in the Andes of Ecuador." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="40c70a5a-c7fb-4966-8800-c74c8b621369" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2810%29_27.jpg" />Ecuadorian paleontologist Jose Luis Roman, cleans the jaw of a toxodon found at the Azuay province (Ecuadorian Andes), at the paleontology laboratory of the Escuela Politecnica Nacional (National Polytechnic School) in Quito on August 18, 2020. Ecuadorian paleontologist Jose Luis Roman, curator of the paleontology collection of Quito's National Polytechnic School (EPN), who recently discovered -with the help of Argentinian investigators- a species of giant owl that lived 40,000 years ago, is now searching for tiny mice teeth to recreate the Ice Age in the Andes of Ecuador. | AFP 
 
&nbsp;</h6>

Officially referred to as the “Last Glacial Maximum”, the Ice Age which happened 23,000 to 19,000 years ago witnessed an average global temperature of 7.8 degree Celsius (46 F), which doesn’t sound like much, but is indeed very cold for the average temperature of the planet. The Ice Age was 7 degrees Celsius colder than the average global temperature in 2019, the research posits.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/oldest-and-largest-ice-age-mammoth-house-found-in-russia-286889" hreflang="en">Oldest and largest Ice Age 'mammoth house' found in Russia</a>

Scientists also found inconsistencies in the temperatures around the globe. Some regions were a lot cooler than the others. Naturally, poles were the coolest, while the tropics were less affected.&nbsp;

In fact, the Arctic region alone witnessed a temperature 14 degree Celsius (25 F) higher than the global average.

The scientists reached the conclusion with the assistance of “temperature proxy” - which are observations from fossils of zooplankton and other preserved structures and how they reacted to change in water temperatures.

<h6><img alt="View of a jaw of the rodent subfamily Sigmodontinae, found at the Cordillera (mountain range) de Cutucu, at the paleontology laboratory of the Escuela Politecnica Nacional (National Polytechnic School) in Quito on August 18, 2020. Ecuadorian paleontologist Jose Luis Roman, curator of the paleontology collection of Quito's National Polytechnic School (EPN), who recently discovered -with the help of Argentinian investigators- a species of giant owl that lived 40,000 years ago, is now searching for tiny mice teeth to recreate the Ice Age in the Andes of Ecuador." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a2289629-82bb-4a6c-8160-198542232f54" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2811%29_26.jpg" />View of a jaw of the rodent subfamily Sigmodontinae, found at the Cordillera (mountain range) de Cutucu, at the paleontology laboratory of the Escuela Politecnica Nacional (National Polytechnic School) in Quito on August 18, 2020. Ecuadorian paleontologist Jose Luis Roman, curator of the paleontology collection of Quito's National Polytechnic School (EPN), who recently discovered -with the help of Argentinian investigators- a species of giant owl that lived 40,000 years ago, is now searching for tiny mice teeth to recreate the Ice Age in the Andes of Ecuador. | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Based on this, the information was juxtaposed with global climate model simulations to find out the average global temperatures.

The lead author of the study, Jessica Tierney from the University of Arizona believes that such understanding may help understand what to expect in the future.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/oldest-known-asteroid-collision-ended-earths-ice-age-study-275861" hreflang="en">Oldest known asteroid collision ended Earth's 'ice age': Study</a>

The Ice Age lasted from about 115,000 to 11,000 years ago, and saw mammals that were adapted to cold climate roam the planet. These included mammoths, mastodons, woolly rhinos, and saner-toothed cats among many.

It was during the Ice Age that humans entered North America for the first time ever. They crossed over through a bridge that connected Siberia to Alaska when sea levels were lower than they are today.

Ever wondered just how cold the last Ice Age was? Were there only glaciers scattered across the planet with no vegetation in sight? Scientists know the exact answer.

Ever wondered just how cold the last Ice Age was? Were there only glaciers scattered across the planet with no vegetation in sight? Scientists know the exact answer. After studying ocean plankton fossils and climate models, scientists have reached a conclusion on exactly how cold the last Ice Age was. The last Ice Age covered swathes of land across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, even places were ice is not common. Ecuadorian paleontologist Jose Luis Roman, cleans the jaw of a toxodon found at the Azuay province (Ecuadorian Andes), at the paleontology laboratory of the Escuela Politecnica Nacional (National Polytechnic School) in Quito on August 18, 2020. Ecuadorian paleontologist Jose Luis Roman, curator of the paleontology collection of Quito's National Polytechnic School (EPN), who recently discovered -with the help of Argentinian investigators- a species of giant owl that lived 40,000 years ago, is now searching for tiny mice teeth to recreate the Ice Age in the Andes of Ecuador. | AFP Officially referred to as the “Last Glacial Maximum”, the Ice Age which happened 23,000 to 19,000 years ago witnessed an average global temperature of 7.8 degree Celsius (46 F), which doesn’t sound like much, but is indeed very cold for the average temperature of the planet. The Ice Age was 7 degrees Celsius colder than the average global temperature in 2019, the research posits. Also read: Oldest and largest Ice Age 'mammoth house' found in Russia Scientists also found inconsistencies in the temperatures around the globe. Some regions were a lot cooler than the others. Naturally, poles were the coolest, while the tropics were less affected. In fact, the Arctic region alone witnessed a temperature 14 degree Celsius (25 F) higher than the global average. The scientists reached the conclusion with the assistance of “temperature proxy” - which are observations from fossils of zooplankton and other preserved structures and how they reacted to change in water temperatures. View of a jaw of the rodent subfamily Sigmodontinae, found at the Cordillera (mountain range) de Cutucu, at the paleontology laboratory of the Escuela Politecnica Nacional (National Polytechnic School) in Quito on August 18, 2020. Ecuadorian paleontologist Jose Luis Roman, curator of the paleontology collection of Quito's National Polytechnic School (EPN), who recently discovered -with the help of Argentinian investigators- a species of giant owl that lived 40,000 years ago, is now searching for tiny mice teeth to recreate the Ice Age in the Andes of Ecuador. | AFP Based on this, the information was juxtaposed with global climate model simulations to find out the average global temperatures. The lead author of the study, Jessica Tierney from the University of Arizona believes that such understanding may help understand what to expect in the future. Also read: Oldest known asteroid collision ended Earth's 'ice age': Study The Ice Age lasted from about 115,000 to 11,000 years ago, and saw mammals that were adapted to cold climate roam the planet. These included mammoths, mastodons, woolly rhinos, and saner-toothed cats among many. It was during the Ice Age that humans entered North America for the first time ever. They crossed over through a bridge that connected Siberia to Alaska when sea levels were lower than they are today.

Just how cold was the Ice Age exactly?

A mysterious 25,000-year-old structure built of the bones of 60 mammoths has been unearthed in Russia.

Researchers believe mammoth houses were generally iconstructed by Palaeolithic people to serve as houses, providing refuge during harsh winters.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huge-trove-of-mammoth-skeletons-found-in-mexico-260517">Huge trove of mammoth skeletons found in Mexico</a>

However, they could not figure out the reason behind the construction of this circular&nbsp;Ice age structure.

''Clearly, a lot of time and effort went into building this structure so it was obviously important to the people that made it for some reason'' said Alexander Pryor, the lead archaeologist of the excavation.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mammoth-skeleton-sells-for-nearly-550000-euros-at-french-auction-26941">Mammoth skeleton sells for nearly 550,000 Euros at French auction</a>

In 2014, researchers found evidence of this structure at the site and began excavation in 2015, which took three years.

A study detailing their findings published this week in the journal Antiquity.

This isn't the first "mammoth house" to be found in Russia, but it is the oldest and largest, measuring 41 feet across.

Till date, the oldest ice age structure was dated 22,000 years old.

In the 1960s and 1970s, researchers found similar, smaller buildings at the site, which they named&nbsp;Kostenki 11. It's 310 miles south of Moscow and is now a museum called the State Archaeological Museum-Reserve Kostenki.

A mysterious 25,000-year-old structure built of the bones of 60 mammoths has been unearthed in Russia. Researchers believe mammoth houses were generally iconstructed by Palaeolithic people to serve as houses, providing refuge during harsh winters.

A mysterious 25,000-year-old structure built of the bones of 60 mammoths has been unearthed in Russia. Researchers believe mammoth houses were generally iconstructed by Palaeolithic people to serve as houses, providing refuge during harsh winters. Also read: Huge trove of mammoth skeletons found in Mexico However, they could not figure out the reason behind the construction of this circular Ice age structure. ''Clearly, a lot of time and effort went into building this structure so it was obviously important to the people that made it for some reason'' said Alexander Pryor, the lead archaeologist of the excavation. Also read: Mammoth skeleton sells for nearly 550,000 Euros at French auction In 2014, researchers found evidence of this structure at the site and began excavation in 2015, which took three years. A study detailing their findings published this week in the journal Antiquity. This isn't the first "mammoth house" to be found in Russia, but it is the oldest and largest, measuring 41 feet across. Till date, the oldest ice age structure was dated 22,000 years old. In the 1960s and 1970s, researchers found similar, smaller buildings at the site, which they named Kostenki 11. It's 310 miles south of Moscow and is now a museum called the State Archaeological Museum-Reserve Kostenki.

Oldest and largest Ice Age 'mammoth house' found in Russia

The&nbsp;collision of an asteroid with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beyond-earth-designers-give-a-peek-into-what-life-could-look-like-on-mars-275336">Earth</a>'s surface more than 2 billion years ago created the oldest impact crater known as&nbsp;Yarrabubba crater in Western <a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/australia-to-begin-screening-passengers-from-china-as-coronavirus-continues-to-spread-275594">Australia</a>.

According to research, it precedes others by 200 million years. And it was due to it that the planet was able to exit the state of frozenness.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beyond-earth-designers-give-a-peek-into-what-life-could-look-like-on-mars-275336">Beyond Earth: Designers give a peek into what life could look like on Mars</a>

An isotopic assessment of the minerals inside the crater was conducted to prove that the crater is the oldest.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/illegal-sand-mining-still-ongoing-in-madhya-pradesh-says-mineral-resources-minister-275165">Minerals </a>such as monazite and zircon were both found at the site.

<img alt="Decrystaliization" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d97a24c7-2718-4047-999d-457695643f0c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/_110599716_usecrystal.jpg" />

They had recrystallized due to the ''sudden'' impact of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-space-probe-on-its-way-back-after-asteroid-mission-262935">asteroid</a>.

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The discoveries made by researchers were published on Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.

The crater got eroded with the passage of time and thus making it difficult to determine its original size.

According to the latest findings, the new age estimate of this crater is much more accurate than the previous ones.

Also watch:&nbsp;A giant asteroid just whizzed past Earth, and no one had a clue!

&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/a-giant-asteroid-just-whizzed-past-earth-and-no-one-had-a-clue-239162/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

''This crater was created right at the end of Snowball Earth which is the time duration in which the atmosphere along with the oceans was involving and were becoming more oxygenated. Glacial conditions were recorded when rocks deposited on continents,'' said Chris Kirkland, the co-author of the study and a professor at the Curtin University's School of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Perth, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-to-begin-screening-passengers-from-china-as-coronavirus-continues-to-spread-275594">Australia</a>.

According to Nicholas Timms, the study co-author and associate professor at the same university, ''the age of this impact crater is similar to that of the demise of a series of ancient glaciations''.&nbsp;

It was half a trillion tons of water vapour, an effective and the most abundant greenhouse gas that absorbed radiation and send it back to the surface of the Earth that resulted in the meltdown of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/climate-change-due-to-deforestation-worries-people-in-gilgit-baltistan-275823">glaciers</a>.

The collision of an asteroid with the Earth's surface more than 2 billion years ago created the oldest impact crater known as Yarrabubba crater in Western Australia.

The collision of an asteroid with the Earth's surface more than 2 billion years ago created the oldest impact crater known as Yarrabubba crater in Western Australia. According to research, it precedes others by 200 million years. And it was due to it that the planet was able to exit the state of frozenness. Also read: Beyond Earth: Designers give a peek into what life could look like on Mars An isotopic assessment of the minerals inside the crater was conducted to prove that the crater is the oldest. Minerals such as monazite and zircon were both found at the site. They had recrystallized due to the ''sudden'' impact of the asteroid. Also read: Why action on climate change gets stuck and what to do about it The discoveries made by researchers were published on Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. The crater got eroded with the passage of time and thus making it difficult to determine its original size. According to the latest findings, the new age estimate of this crater is much more accurate than the previous ones. Also watch: A giant asteroid just whizzed past Earth, and no one had a clue! ''This crater was created right at the end of Snowball Earth which is the time duration in which the atmosphere along with the oceans was involving and were becoming more oxygenated. Glacial conditions were recorded when rocks deposited on continents,'' said Chris Kirkland, the co-author of the study and a professor at the Curtin University's School of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Perth, Australia. According to Nicholas Timms, the study co-author and associate professor at the same university, ''the age of this impact crater is similar to that of the demise of a series of ancient glaciations''. It was half a trillion tons of water vapour, an effective and the most abundant greenhouse gas that absorbed radiation and send it back to the surface of the Earth that resulted in the meltdown of the glaciers.

Oldest known asteroid collision ended Earth's 'ice age': Study

Earth's latest ice age that began about 3.2 million years ago may have been caused by changes deep inside the planet, according to a study.

Based on evidence from the Pacific Ocean, including the position of the Hawaiian Islands, geophysicists at Rice University in the US have determined Earth shifted relative to its spin axis within the past 12 million years.

This caused Greenland to move far enough towards the north pole to kick off the ice age that began about 3.2 million years ago.

The study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, is based on an analysis of fossil signatures from deep ocean sediments, the magnetic signature of oceanic crust and the position of the mantle "hot spot" that created the Hawaiian Islands.

The evidence suggests Earth spun steadily for millions of years before shifting relative to its spin axis, an effect geophysicists refer to as "true polar wander," researchers said.

"The Hawaiian hot spot was fixed, relative to the spin axis, from about 48 million years ago to about 12 million years ago, but it was fixed at a latitude farther north than we find it today," said Daniel Woodworth, a graduate student at Rice University.

"By comparing the Hawaiian hot spot to the rest of the Earth, we can see that that shift in location was reflected in the rest of the Earth and is superimposed on the motion of tectonic plates," Woodworth said.

"That tells us that the entire Earth moved, relative to the spin axis, which we interpret to be true polar wander," he said.

By volume, Earth is mostly mantle, a thick layer of solid rock that flows under intense pressure and heat.

The mantle is covered by an interlocking puzzle of rocky tectonic plates that ride atop it, bumping and slipping against one another at seismically active boundaries.

Hot spots, like the one beneath Hawaii, are plumes of hot solid rock that rise from deep within the mantle.

"We are taking these hot spots as marked trackers of plumes that come from the deep mantle, and we're using that as our reference frame," said Richard Gordon, a professor at Rice University.

"We think the whole global network of hotspots was fixed, relative to the Earth's spin axis, for at least 36 million years before this shift," Gordon said.

Earth's latest ice age that began about 3.2 million years ago may have been caused by changes deep inside the planet, according to a study. Based on evidence from the Pacific Ocean, including the position of the Hawaiian Islands, geophysicists at Rice University in the US have determined Earth shifted relative to its spin axis within the past 12 million years.

Earth's latest ice age that began about 3.2 million years ago may have been caused by changes deep inside the planet, according to a study. Based on evidence from the Pacific Ocean, including the position of the Hawaiian Islands, geophysicists at Rice University in the US have determined Earth shifted relative to its spin axis within the past 12 million years. This caused Greenland to move far enough towards the north pole to kick off the ice age that began about 3.2 million years ago. The study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, is based on an analysis of fossil signatures from deep ocean sediments, the magnetic signature of oceanic crust and the position of the mantle "hot spot" that created the Hawaiian Islands. The evidence suggests Earth spun steadily for millions of years before shifting relative to its spin axis, an effect geophysicists refer to as "true polar wander," researchers said. "The Hawaiian hot spot was fixed, relative to the spin axis, from about 48 million years ago to about 12 million years ago, but it was fixed at a latitude farther north than we find it today," said Daniel Woodworth, a graduate student at Rice University. "By comparing the Hawaiian hot spot to the rest of the Earth, we can see that that shift in location was reflected in the rest of the Earth and is superimposed on the motion of tectonic plates," Woodworth said. "That tells us that the entire Earth moved, relative to the spin axis, which we interpret to be true polar wander," he said. By volume, Earth is mostly mantle, a thick layer of solid rock that flows under intense pressure and heat. The mantle is covered by an interlocking puzzle of rocky tectonic plates that ride atop it, bumping and slipping against one another at seismically active boundaries. Hot spots, like the one beneath Hawaii, are plumes of hot solid rock that rise from deep within the mantle. "We are taking these hot spots as marked trackers of plumes that come from the deep mantle, and we're using that as our reference frame," said Richard Gordon, a professor at Rice University. "We think the whole global network of hotspots was fixed, relative to the Earth's spin axis, for at least 36 million years before this shift," Gordon said.

Changes inside Earth may have caused ice age: Study

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