European scientists have reconstructed 1.5 million years of climate history from Antarctica’s oldest ice.
Beyond EPICA Oldest Ice Research Group
- Carlo Barbante
- Hubertus Fischer
- Amaelle Landais
- Pierre-Henri Blard
- Francois Fripriat
- Dorthe Dahl-Jensen
- Frank Wilhelms
What did Earth’s climate look like a million years ago – and what can it tell us about our future? That question drives the researchers behind Beyond EPICA – Oldest Ice (BEOI), a groundbreaking European research project that has recreated Earth’s climatic history by drilling deep into Antarctica’s ice sheet.
The project brings together some of the world’s leading experts in climate science, geology, atmospheric chemistry, ice drilling and biogeochemistry.
The earlier EPICA project (1996–2008) reached 800,000 years back in time and resulted in over 350 scientific publications, including papers in Nature and Science.
The new BEOI project goes even further – back 1.5 million years – offering a rare glimpse into the pivotal period when Earth’s ice ages shifted rhythm from 40,000- to 100,000-year cycles.
From Ancient Ice to Future Policy
Every millimeter of Antarctic ice contains tiny air bubbles that hold traces of Earth’s atmosphere from thousands – even millions – of years ago. By analyzing these bubbles and the ice’s chemical composition, scientists have reconstructed how temperatures, greenhouse gases, sea levels, and volcanic activity have evolved over 1.5 million years.
The results provide unique insight into the interplay between CO₂ and climate, forming the scientific backbone of the models used today to predict future climate change. The lowest ice layers, close to Antarctica’s bedrock, may even contain ice and sediments more than 10 million years old – potentially the oldest physical record of Earth’s climate ever discovered.
Ice core projects like this have had immense societal impact. Their data underpin UN climate reports (IPCC), global climate models, and projections for future sea-level rise and global warming. These findings are essential for understanding how natural variations and human influence interact – and thus how we can best act today.
The project has also received widespread international media coverage – with over 100 million views and features across newspapers, radio, and television throughout Europe – inspiring scientists, students, and the public alike with its visionary exploration of Earth’s deep past.