Italian-Led Team Extracts Record 1.2 Million-Year-Old Antarctic Ice Core

Jan 9, 2025, 01:34 PM

An international team of scientists has successfully drilled nearly 2 miles (3 kilometers) into the Antarctic ice sheet to extract a 1.2 million-year-old ice core—the oldest ever recovered. The project, known as Beyond EPICA – Oldest Ice and led by Italian researchers, aims to analyze ancient air bubbles trapped in the ice to gain insights into Earth's past atmospheric composition and climate evolution. The new record-breaking ice core is expected to shed light on how Ice Age cycles have changed and improve understanding of the mechanisms regulating the planet's climate, including the role of atmospheric carbon dioxide.