Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Colorado Mastodon Bones Show Ancient Warmer Earth
Washington Post ^ | Nov 28, 2014 | Dan Elliott/AP

Posted on 11/29/2014 5:46:24 AM PST by tellw

DENVER — A “spectacular” trove of ancient bones from giant animals discovered in the Colorado mountains is providing scientists with a look at what happened about 120,000 years ago when the Earth got as warm as it is today.

Evidence left behind by mastodons, mammoths, giant sloths and bison — along with insects, plants, pollen and other animals — offers a glimpse at how animals adapted to climate change.

A team of 47 scientists has been studying material unearthed four years ago near Snowmass, a town just outside Aspen, when a bulldozer was enlarging a reservoir. The researchers published their first batch of data in the journal Quaternary Research in November.

Among their findings: The warmer weather allowed forests to reach about 2,500 feet farther up the mountainside than today’s tree line, which is about 11,500 feet above sea level at the Snowmass site. Forests also may have been denser, and smaller trees and grasslands might have been more widespread amid drier conditions.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-22 last
To: Jack Hydrazine

What everyone should be concentrating on is the screamingly rapid drop in temperature as the inter-glacial period ends.

Thirty million Mexicans in the US? That’s nothing compared to how many Americans will be in Mexico when the ice sheet comes.


21 posted on 11/29/2014 8:01:31 AM PST by VanShuyten ("a shadow...draped nobly in the folds of a gorgeous eloquence.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Thommas

CO2 lags b/c it is released from the ocean as the ocean warms up.


22 posted on 11/29/2014 2:47:09 PM PST by Nuc 1.1 (Nuc 1 Liberals aren't Patriots. Remember 1789!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-22 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson