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Do you know Earth is currently in midst of an Ice Age?​

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Scientists have recorded five significant ice ages throughout the Earth’s history: the Huronian (2.4-2.1 billion years ago), Cryogenian (850-635 million years ago), Andean-Saharan (460-430 mya), Karoo (360-260 mya) and Quaternary (2.6 mya-present).

Earth is currently in the Quaternary glaciation,  as the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets remain intact despite moderate temperatures.

  Antarctic ice sheet:

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A satellite composite image of Antarctica

 

The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest single mass of ice on Earth. It covers an area of almost 14 million km2 (14 Mm2) and contains 30 million km3 of ice.

Around 90% of the Earth's ice mass is in Antarctica, which, if melted, would cause sea levels to rise by 58 meters.

The continent-wide  average surface temperature trend of Antarctica is positive and significant at >0.05 °C/decade since 1957.

 

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Greenland ice sheet:

The Greenland ice sheet occupies about 82% of the surface of Greenland.

If melted would cause sea levels to rise by 7.2 metres.

Estimated changes in the mass of Greenland's ice sheet suggest it is melting at a rate of about 239 cubic kilometres (57 cubic miles) per year..

These measurements came from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite, launched in 2002.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NASA’s GRACE Satellite

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