New research on the effect of glacial-age icebergs on the global ocean conveyor belt contradicts common hypotheses of how the last ice age was triggered.
It was previously thought that massive breakaway icebergs had weakened the global ocean conveyor belt and caused Earth to freeze over 20,000 years ago.
But, by studying the isotope compositions of sea-floor organism shells, researchers found there there haven’t been any such dramatic changes to the ocean circulation since before the last ice age.
The finding suggests that the deep freeze was instead caused by changes in atmospheric circulation patterns. Scientists hope the study will lead to improved understanding of climate change.
Read more at Texas A&M University