Wake up!
Even during the last interglacial (the Eemian), global Sea Surface Temperatures were likely lower than they are now.
We are rapidly barreling to a climate state unseen for millions of years. If ever.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Even during the last interglacial (the Eemian), global Sea Surface Temperatures were likely lower than they are now.
We are rapidly barreling to a climate state unseen for millions of years. If ever.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
April 5, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Wake up!
Even during the last interglacial (the Eemian), global Sea Surface Temperatures were likely lower than they are now.
We are rapidly barreling to a climate state unseen for millions of years. If ever.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Even during the last interglacial (the Eemian), global Sea Surface Temperatures were likely lower than they are now.
We are rapidly barreling to a climate state unseen for millions of years. If ever.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Latest NASA global temperature data.
Earth has never been hotter since Homo sapiens (we) discovered agriculture in the early Holocene. Likely even since the Eemian interglacial 120.000 years ago.
Fossil coal, oil and gas emissions caused it.
We need to stop making it worse.
We can if we want to.
Earth has never been hotter since Homo sapiens (we) discovered agriculture in the early Holocene. Likely even since the Eemian interglacial 120.000 years ago.
Fossil coal, oil and gas emissions caused it.
We need to stop making it worse.
We can if we want to.
November 3, 2024 at 9:06 PM
Latest NASA global temperature data.
Earth has never been hotter since Homo sapiens (we) discovered agriculture in the early Holocene. Likely even since the Eemian interglacial 120.000 years ago.
Fossil coal, oil and gas emissions caused it.
We need to stop making it worse.
We can if we want to.
Earth has never been hotter since Homo sapiens (we) discovered agriculture in the early Holocene. Likely even since the Eemian interglacial 120.000 years ago.
Fossil coal, oil and gas emissions caused it.
We need to stop making it worse.
We can if we want to.
Wake up! ⏰️
Global Sea Surface Temperatures are likely even higher than the Eemian warm period, 125,000 years ago, when global sea levels were 5-10 meters higher than today.
October 2025 Sea Surface Temperatures still being above pre-2023 records is another indication of higher climate sensitivity👇
Global Sea Surface Temperatures are likely even higher than the Eemian warm period, 125,000 years ago, when global sea levels were 5-10 meters higher than today.
October 2025 Sea Surface Temperatures still being above pre-2023 records is another indication of higher climate sensitivity👇
November 1, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Wake up! ⏰️
Global Sea Surface Temperatures are likely even higher than the Eemian warm period, 125,000 years ago, when global sea levels were 5-10 meters higher than today.
October 2025 Sea Surface Temperatures still being above pre-2023 records is another indication of higher climate sensitivity👇
Global Sea Surface Temperatures are likely even higher than the Eemian warm period, 125,000 years ago, when global sea levels were 5-10 meters higher than today.
October 2025 Sea Surface Temperatures still being above pre-2023 records is another indication of higher climate sensitivity👇
We're rapidly surpassing the climate of the Eemian warm period, >120,000 years ago.
Global Sea Surface Temperatures are likely already warmer.
Sea ice is rapidly disappearing.
Land ice will follow, increasing Sea levels by >10 meters. But that takes heat and time.
Global Sea Surface Temperatures are likely already warmer.
Sea ice is rapidly disappearing.
Land ice will follow, increasing Sea levels by >10 meters. But that takes heat and time.
March 4, 2025 at 9:10 AM
We're rapidly surpassing the climate of the Eemian warm period, >120,000 years ago.
Global Sea Surface Temperatures are likely already warmer.
Sea ice is rapidly disappearing.
Land ice will follow, increasing Sea levels by >10 meters. But that takes heat and time.
Global Sea Surface Temperatures are likely already warmer.
Sea ice is rapidly disappearing.
Land ice will follow, increasing Sea levels by >10 meters. But that takes heat and time.
Today I gave a climate lecture at the primary school of my daughter.
When 8-10 year olds understand that adding heat to our planet at a record rate will lead to global sea levels rapidly surpassing those during the Eemian (+5-10 meters), why don't adults?
When 8-10 year olds understand that adding heat to our planet at a record rate will lead to global sea levels rapidly surpassing those during the Eemian (+5-10 meters), why don't adults?
June 24, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Today I gave a climate lecture at the primary school of my daughter.
When 8-10 year olds understand that adding heat to our planet at a record rate will lead to global sea levels rapidly surpassing those during the Eemian (+5-10 meters), why don't adults?
When 8-10 year olds understand that adding heat to our planet at a record rate will lead to global sea levels rapidly surpassing those during the Eemian (+5-10 meters), why don't adults?
New look at the landscape beneath Antarctica 🇦🇶
Without the 27.17 million km³ of ice.
This clearly shows that much the West-Antarctic Ice Sheet is below sea level.
That's why it melts rapidly in a warmer climate, like it did ~120,000 years ago during the Eemian interglacial.
Without the 27.17 million km³ of ice.
This clearly shows that much the West-Antarctic Ice Sheet is below sea level.
That's why it melts rapidly in a warmer climate, like it did ~120,000 years ago during the Eemian interglacial.
April 6, 2025 at 1:42 PM
New look at the landscape beneath Antarctica 🇦🇶
Without the 27.17 million km³ of ice.
This clearly shows that much the West-Antarctic Ice Sheet is below sea level.
That's why it melts rapidly in a warmer climate, like it did ~120,000 years ago during the Eemian interglacial.
Without the 27.17 million km³ of ice.
This clearly shows that much the West-Antarctic Ice Sheet is below sea level.
That's why it melts rapidly in a warmer climate, like it did ~120,000 years ago during the Eemian interglacial.
If our years ran from November to October, 2025 would be the second warmest year on record.
Probably in >100,000 years and potentially much longer.
Sea Surface Temperatures are now likely already higher than during the Eemian warm period, when global sea levels were ~7.5m higher!
Probably in >100,000 years and potentially much longer.
Sea Surface Temperatures are now likely already higher than during the Eemian warm period, when global sea levels were ~7.5m higher!
November 8, 2025 at 3:34 PM
If our years ran from November to October, 2025 would be the second warmest year on record.
Probably in >100,000 years and potentially much longer.
Sea Surface Temperatures are now likely already higher than during the Eemian warm period, when global sea levels were ~7.5m higher!
Probably in >100,000 years and potentially much longer.
Sea Surface Temperatures are now likely already higher than during the Eemian warm period, when global sea levels were ~7.5m higher!
PSA to anyone I've ever helped, feel free to make me an Eemian ecosystem terrarium, tiny beaver model and dam optional 😍
Got a wonderful gift from a former postdoc today! A terrarium based on The forest moon of Endor complete with its own little Ewok & R2D2 😁
The tank was previously used on BBC The Sky at Night to demonstrate optical depth in a planetary atmosphere. A happy repurposing & joyful addition to my office
The tank was previously used on BBC The Sky at Night to demonstrate optical depth in a planetary atmosphere. A happy repurposing & joyful addition to my office
December 18, 2025 at 4:51 PM
PSA to anyone I've ever helped, feel free to make me an Eemian ecosystem terrarium, tiny beaver model and dam optional 😍
Greenhouse gases we add to the atmosphere and the resulting Earth's Energy Imbalance could cause about a yottajoule (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 joules) of heat to accumulate in the Earth system this century.
Causing an energy level similar to the Eemian, when sea level was ~7.5m higher!
1/
Causing an energy level similar to the Eemian, when sea level was ~7.5m higher!
1/
November 14, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Greenhouse gases we add to the atmosphere and the resulting Earth's Energy Imbalance could cause about a yottajoule (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 joules) of heat to accumulate in the Earth system this century.
Causing an energy level similar to the Eemian, when sea level was ~7.5m higher!
1/
Causing an energy level similar to the Eemian, when sea level was ~7.5m higher!
1/
Last night was the hottest night in France since at least the Medieval Warm Period (900 years ago) and possibly since the Eemian (125,000 years ago). #NothingToSeeHere #MoveRightAlong
www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/...
www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/...
France records hottest-ever night as 40 drown trying to escape heatwave
France struggles with extreme heat and power grid challenges as temperature records also smashed in parts of UK, Spain.
www.aljazeera.com
June 23, 2026 at 11:20 AM
Last night was the hottest night in France since at least the Medieval Warm Period (900 years ago) and possibly since the Eemian (125,000 years ago). #NothingToSeeHere #MoveRightAlong
www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/...
www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/...
Shifting baseline syndrome:
We've just seen almost two months above pre-2023 absolute Global Sea Surface Temperatures.
Only close to the 2016 Super El Niño peak.
These values are likely higher than during the Eemian warm period ~120,000 years ago.
When global sea levels were 5-10 meters higher
We've just seen almost two months above pre-2023 absolute Global Sea Surface Temperatures.
Only close to the 2016 Super El Niño peak.
These values are likely higher than during the Eemian warm period ~120,000 years ago.
When global sea levels were 5-10 meters higher
April 13, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Shifting baseline syndrome:
We've just seen almost two months above pre-2023 absolute Global Sea Surface Temperatures.
Only close to the 2016 Super El Niño peak.
These values are likely higher than during the Eemian warm period ~120,000 years ago.
When global sea levels were 5-10 meters higher
We've just seen almost two months above pre-2023 absolute Global Sea Surface Temperatures.
Only close to the 2016 Super El Niño peak.
These values are likely higher than during the Eemian warm period ~120,000 years ago.
When global sea levels were 5-10 meters higher
During the Eemian 125K yrs ago, temps were similar to today's; sea level was 6-9 meters (20-30 ft) higher, probably from WAIS & Greenland.
tRUmp & R's still insist climate change is a hoax. Will they say it when MAGA-Lardo is underwater?
Vote blue.
tRUmp & R's still insist climate change is a hoax. Will they say it when MAGA-Lardo is underwater?
Vote blue.
January 2, 2025 at 11:22 PM
During the Eemian 125K yrs ago, temps were similar to today's; sea level was 6-9 meters (20-30 ft) higher, probably from WAIS & Greenland.
tRUmp & R's still insist climate change is a hoax. Will they say it when MAGA-Lardo is underwater?
Vote blue.
tRUmp & R's still insist climate change is a hoax. Will they say it when MAGA-Lardo is underwater?
Vote blue.
4. The comparison with temperature during the Eemian interglacial isn't all that relevant, since what really could collapse the AMOC is how *rapid* the climate warming is. That is now happening many times faster than during natural climate change caused by Earth's orbital cycles. 5/6
January 4, 2025 at 12:36 PM
4. The comparison with temperature during the Eemian interglacial isn't all that relevant, since what really could collapse the AMOC is how *rapid* the climate warming is. That is now happening many times faster than during natural climate change caused by Earth's orbital cycles. 5/6
Gibbard and Knudsen investigate some Last Interglacial (Eemian) deposits in southeastern Denmark to determine the sea level history of the Baltic Sea. They found that the period of relatively high sea level lasted most of the interglacial period (15,000 years). ⚒️ egqsj.copernicus.org/articles/73/...
The Eemian Stage interglacial marine transgression in the south-western Baltic region
Abstract. Through detailed investigations, three sequences of marine and associated deposits in the south-west Baltic area are shown to represent the Eemian interglacial transgression. Pollen analyses...
egqsj.copernicus.org
December 1, 2024 at 3:29 AM
Gibbard and Knudsen investigate some Last Interglacial (Eemian) deposits in southeastern Denmark to determine the sea level history of the Baltic Sea. They found that the period of relatively high sea level lasted most of the interglacial period (15,000 years). ⚒️ egqsj.copernicus.org/articles/73/...
Eemian straight-tusked elephants in N Germany migrated 300 km and were frequently hunted by Neanderthals.
P.S.: Beech (Fagus sylvatica) was rather uncommon then. Any idea why? Anyway, all our present-day species had to deal with them.
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
P.S.: Beech (Fagus sylvatica) was rather uncommon then. Any idea why? Anyway, all our present-day species had to deal with them.
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
March 16, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Eemian straight-tusked elephants in N Germany migrated 300 km and were frequently hunted by Neanderthals.
P.S.: Beech (Fagus sylvatica) was rather uncommon then. Any idea why? Anyway, all our present-day species had to deal with them.
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
P.S.: Beech (Fagus sylvatica) was rather uncommon then. Any idea why? Anyway, all our present-day species had to deal with them.
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
That dreaded term “Eemian” 😬
Gibbard and Knudsen investigate some Last Interglacial (Eemian) deposits in southeastern Denmark to determine the sea level history of the Baltic Sea. They found that the period of relatively high sea level lasted most of the interglacial period (15,000 years). ⚒️ egqsj.copernicus.org/articles/73/...
The Eemian Stage interglacial marine transgression in the south-western Baltic region
Abstract. Through detailed investigations, three sequences of marine and associated deposits in the south-west Baltic area are shown to represent the Eemian interglacial transgression. Pollen analyses...
egqsj.copernicus.org
December 1, 2024 at 10:02 AM
That dreaded term “Eemian” 😬
Great news, if you're an octopus looking for 'sex tourism'.
(First dog on the moon comic, after insightful paper by @lausally.bsky.social et al. using octopus DNA analyses to show that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was largely gone during the Eemian, when sea levels were 5-10 meters higher)
(First dog on the moon comic, after insightful paper by @lausally.bsky.social et al. using octopus DNA analyses to show that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was largely gone during the Eemian, when sea levels were 5-10 meters higher)
May 23, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Great news, if you're an octopus looking for 'sex tourism'.
(First dog on the moon comic, after insightful paper by @lausally.bsky.social et al. using octopus DNA analyses to show that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was largely gone during the Eemian, when sea levels were 5-10 meters higher)
(First dog on the moon comic, after insightful paper by @lausally.bsky.social et al. using octopus DNA analyses to show that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was largely gone during the Eemian, when sea levels were 5-10 meters higher)
Your 'doom quote' for today:
"Earth is now warmer than at any time in the Holocene, the past 11,700 years of relatively stable climate in which civilization developed, and it is at least as warm as during the extreme warm Eemian interglacial period 120,000 years ago."
"Earth is now warmer than at any time in the Holocene, the past 11,700 years of relatively stable climate in which civilization developed, and it is at least as warm as during the extreme warm Eemian interglacial period 120,000 years ago."
Global Warming Has Accelerated: Are the United Nations and the Public Well-Informed?
Global temperature leaped more than 0.4°C (0.7°F) during the past two years, the 12-month average peaking in August 2024 at +1.6°C relative to the temperature at the beginning of last century (the ...
www.tandfonline.com
August 15, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Your 'doom quote' for today:
"Earth is now warmer than at any time in the Holocene, the past 11,700 years of relatively stable climate in which civilization developed, and it is at least as warm as during the extreme warm Eemian interglacial period 120,000 years ago."
"Earth is now warmer than at any time in the Holocene, the past 11,700 years of relatively stable climate in which civilization developed, and it is at least as warm as during the extreme warm Eemian interglacial period 120,000 years ago."
Hemmer, H., Kahlke, RD. Panthera pardus burgtonnae ssp. nov. (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae) from the Eemian of Burgtonna (Thuringia, Germany) – Late Pleistocene European leopards in a new perspective. Palaeobio Palaeoenv (2026). doi.org/10.1007/s125...
doi.org
June 14, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Hemmer, H., Kahlke, RD. Panthera pardus burgtonnae ssp. nov. (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae) from the Eemian of Burgtonna (Thuringia, Germany) – Late Pleistocene European leopards in a new perspective. Palaeobio Palaeoenv (2026). doi.org/10.1007/s125...
Reading a book on Neanderthals, I was particularly drawn to its depiction of the Eemian interglacial (marine isotope stage 5e). Warm forests, high sea levels, macaques and elephants in northern Europe. It would certainly make for an interesting Spear & Fang setting.
November 7, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Reading a book on Neanderthals, I was particularly drawn to its depiction of the Eemian interglacial (marine isotope stage 5e). Warm forests, high sea levels, macaques and elephants in northern Europe. It would certainly make for an interesting Spear & Fang setting.
"The global mean annual [SSTs] values [~130,000 years ago] were ∼0.5°C warmer than they were 150 years ago and indistinguishable from the 1995–2014 mean."
And the Tropical and Mid-Latitude oceans are now already much warmer than during the Eemian warm period...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
And the Tropical and Mid-Latitude oceans are now already much warmer than during the Eemian warm period...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
April 2, 2026 at 11:01 AM
"The global mean annual [SSTs] values [~130,000 years ago] were ∼0.5°C warmer than they were 150 years ago and indistinguishable from the 1995–2014 mean."
And the Tropical and Mid-Latitude oceans are now already much warmer than during the Eemian warm period...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
And the Tropical and Mid-Latitude oceans are now already much warmer than during the Eemian warm period...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
One line of evidence for melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet during the Eemian Interglacial comes from genetic analyses by @lausally.bsky.social et al.
This shows 'Transantarctic octopus sex', which wouldn't have been possible if the ice sheet hadn't collapsed:
This shows 'Transantarctic octopus sex', which wouldn't have been possible if the ice sheet hadn't collapsed:
April 6, 2025 at 1:42 PM
One line of evidence for melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet during the Eemian Interglacial comes from genetic analyses by @lausally.bsky.social et al.
This shows 'Transantarctic octopus sex', which wouldn't have been possible if the ice sheet hadn't collapsed:
This shows 'Transantarctic octopus sex', which wouldn't have been possible if the ice sheet hadn't collapsed:
Again, we need more & better studies of Marine Isotope Stage 5/the Eemian/the Sangamonian/the Last Interglacial.
And the Pleistocene more generally.
We live in a world with devastated ecologies and we've done it for more than 10,000 years.
We literally don't understand how our world "should" be.
And the Pleistocene more generally.
We live in a world with devastated ecologies and we've done it for more than 10,000 years.
We literally don't understand how our world "should" be.
I’m not disputing what you’re saying here, but there’s still something that bugs me. Let me explain:
We know that during the Pleistocene, our ecosystems typically contained very large populations of grazers. The idea of Europe having a natural vegetation consisting of dense forest is not accurate,
We know that during the Pleistocene, our ecosystems typically contained very large populations of grazers. The idea of Europe having a natural vegetation consisting of dense forest is not accurate,
September 21, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Again, we need more & better studies of Marine Isotope Stage 5/the Eemian/the Sangamonian/the Last Interglacial.
And the Pleistocene more generally.
We live in a world with devastated ecologies and we've done it for more than 10,000 years.
We literally don't understand how our world "should" be.
And the Pleistocene more generally.
We live in a world with devastated ecologies and we've done it for more than 10,000 years.
We literally don't understand how our world "should" be.
Arctic Sea ice remains the lowest on record and likely the lowest since the short Eemian interglacial 122,000 years ago.
January 21, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Arctic Sea ice remains the lowest on record and likely the lowest since the short Eemian interglacial 122,000 years ago.
🔥See our new paper led by @nikulinaav.bsky.social
People shaped Europe’s #ecosystems long before farming
🦣#Megafauna effects on #vegetation openness dropped from 77%→57% bt #Eemian & #Mesolithic
🧑🦱Mesolithic people shaped up to 47% of landscapes w Neanderthals affecting 6–14%
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
People shaped Europe’s #ecosystems long before farming
🦣#Megafauna effects on #vegetation openness dropped from 77%→57% bt #Eemian & #Mesolithic
🧑🦱Mesolithic people shaped up to 47% of landscapes w Neanderthals affecting 6–14%
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
October 23, 2025 at 8:07 AM
🔥See our new paper led by @nikulinaav.bsky.social
People shaped Europe’s #ecosystems long before farming
🦣#Megafauna effects on #vegetation openness dropped from 77%→57% bt #Eemian & #Mesolithic
🧑🦱Mesolithic people shaped up to 47% of landscapes w Neanderthals affecting 6–14%
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
People shaped Europe’s #ecosystems long before farming
🦣#Megafauna effects on #vegetation openness dropped from 77%→57% bt #Eemian & #Mesolithic
🧑🦱Mesolithic people shaped up to 47% of landscapes w Neanderthals affecting 6–14%
doi.org/10.1371/jour...