ice core archives

Ice core archives are long cylinders of ice drilled from glaciers and ice sheets, containing layers that record Earth's climate history. As snow falls and compacts into ice, it traps tiny bubbles of atmosphere, dust, and chemicals. Analyzing these layers reveals past temperatures, greenhouse gas levels, volcanic eruptions, and other climate events over hundreds of thousands of years. Ice cores are like detailed, natural historical records, helping scientists understand how Earth's climate has changed and informing predictions for future climate trends.