Official announcements from the Beyond EPICA project or the Italian Institute of Polar Sciences

Scientists Extract 2.8-Kilometer, 1.2 Million-Year-Old Ice Core From Antarctica in Beyond EPICA Project

Jan 9, 2025, 11:55 AM

An international team of scientists has successfully extracted what is believed to be the oldest ice core ever, dating back 1.2 million years, from Antarctica. The core, which spans 2.8 kilometers in length, was drilled at Little Dome C on the Antarctic plateau under extreme conditions of -35C temperatures over four Antarctic summers. This achievement, part of the Beyond EPICA - Oldest Ice project, was coordinated by the Italian Institute of Polar Sciences and involved researchers from 10 European nations. The ice core contains ancient air bubbles and particles that are expected to provide insights into Earth's climate history, particularly the period known as the Mid-Pleistocene Transition, which occurred between 900,000 and 1.2 million years ago. The ice core will be transported to Europe for detailed analysis, which could help unravel mysteries related to past climate changes and their impact on the planet.