Blog 12: Ancient Mega-flood in the Antarctic

The Antarctic experienced an intense rise in sea level caused by warming at the end of the last ice age. There was a rapid climate change about 14,500 years ago causing a 45 foot rise of sea level, or an "ancient mega flood". This is important knowledge that will help us make predictions about our rising concerns of global warming and climate change in our near future. Compared to the sea-level rise that is occuring now, back then it rose ten times more quickly than it is rising now. This ancient event serves as a model for scientists, and could help predict future climate change more accurately. Scientists can actually analyze coral samples at different depths of the sea to get an idea of thesea level at different points in history.  As researcher Deschamps states, "Corals are outstanding archives to reconstruct past sea-level changes as they can be dated to within plus or minus 30 years stretching back thousands of years". So by the research they had done, he found out that the sea level had risen 45 feet within a span of less than 350 years. The research done for past warming events poses an important role in our ability to understand the current climate change we are undergoing currently and make predictions about future warming events we may see in the near future. This research needs to reach the public by more means than a Huffington Post Article, it is global research being done, and therefore the entire globe should be aware of the nature of these warming events. I say this because global warming cannot be evaded by anyone or anything on Earth. Everything is interconnected, and people should start taking the proper precautions necessary to do whatever we possibly can to prevent such a massive warming event to occur again. This process will take the cooperation of nations all around the world.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/12/antarctic-ice-sheet-collapse_n_1421504.html?ref=green