Thirty-four million years ago the earth was much warmer than it is today, with carbon dioxide levels as high as what scientists predict for the end of this century, says Dr. Stephen Pekar, assistant professor of geology, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Queens College. The land mass that would become New York City was at the bottom of the sea and lush green forests ringed the coastlines of Antarctica — until it abruptly became colder. “This (phenomenon) becomes a great analog of what our future could be like,” says Prof. Pekar. In October, Prof. Pekar will lead a forty-day expedition to Antarctica to study sediments deposited there during this warm period, known as the “Greenhouse World.” The research, part of a massive two-year effort by the International Polar Year (IPY), is being conducted to help scientists understand the nature of global warming and forecast future climate conditions.
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