2024-01-02 08:00:00
The Turquet octopus, which has lived on the Antarctic side for around four million years, makes sad predictions regarding the future of our planet. By analyzing its DNA, researchers have gathered innovative and exciting information regarding the collapse of the ice sheet.
Antarctic octopuses, which live in the darkness of the deep sea, are fascinating creatures. What especially surprises scientists is that their genomes contain crucial information on the evolution of the physical characteristics of our planet. By analyzing the DNA of 96 Turquet octopuses, scientists came to the conclusion that the Antarctic ice sheet had completely melted during the last interglacial period. At the time, Earth’s climate was very similar to what we know today, suggesting that we are on the cusp of another collapse.
Octopuses to measure ice melt
The study published in the journal Science focuses on populations of Turquet octopus, which live in several seas around Antarctica, including Weddell, Amundsen and Ross. If these three seas are today separated by ice, the analysis of the DNA of 96 octopuses showed that this part of the continent was free of ice 125,000 years ago, allowing marine animals to mate there, and thus, to cross their genetic material. In other words, scientists are now certain that the West Antarctic ice sheet had completely melted during the last interglacial period.
We present genomic evidence showing the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed during the #LastInterglacialPeriod!????????????????#popgen #icesheet #interdisciplinary
…the tipping point of future #WestAntarcticIceSheet collapse might be reached even under the #ParisAgreement (+1.5-2.0°C) pic.twitter.com/pSFRSQNBS0— Sally Lau (@lausally) February 1, 2023
During this crucial stage of the glaciation cycles, “global sea level was 5 to 10 meters higher than today and global average temperatures were 0.5° to 1.5°C warmer than pre-industrial levels“, specify the authors. In other words, the tipping point of the future collapse of this vulnerable part of the globe might therefore be reached even under the Paris agreements, the objective of which is not to exceed 1.5 ° C of warming climatic.
A rise in water levels that would disrupt world geography
According to the authors of this study, the collapse of the Antarctic ice sheet would have the critical impact of “a rise in sea level estimated between 3.5 and 5 meters”, declared the author of the study Jan Strugnell, molecular biologist and professor at James Cook University (Australia), in a press release. According to her, a better understanding of the past configuration of the Antarctic ice sheet would make it possible to refine projections of the increase in the level of the world’s seas and oceans.
If uncertainties still remain regarding the causes of the melting of the ice cap during the last interglacial period, the fact remains that these catastrophic scenarios would have disastrous consequences in many other regions of the globe. Many small island territories might then be wiped off the map, not to mention the dramatic repercussions for biodiversity and local populations.
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