Greenland’s Temperate Past: Mastodons and Forests
My Earth science studies led me to a remarkable finding in *Nature* (2022): DNA fragments from Greenland’s Kap København Formation, preserved in permafrost, reveal a temperate ecosystem ~2 million years ago. Northern Greenland, now an Arctic desert, hosted birch and willow forests, with mammals like mastodons, reindeer, hares, and geese. Average temperatures were 11–19°C (20–34°F) warmer than today, with CO2 levels at ~300–400 ppm, close to the current ~420 ppm. Unlike Venus, where high CO2 (96.5%) and proximity to the Sun prevent liquid water, Earth’s moderate CO2 supported biodiversity without mass extinctions, challenging claims of CO2-driven catastrophe.
Advanced DNA analysis decoded these permafrost-preserved fragments—not bones or imprints—revealing mastodon DNA, extending their range to the Arctic. Geological records show global cooling began ~3 million years ago, with Arctic sea ice forming ~2.5 million years ago, after this warm Pliocene period. Greenland’s fossil record indicates warmth fostered diverse life, not collapse. In contrast, Venus’s extreme CO2 atmosphere, as studied by Venera missions, caused a 460°C surface, unrelated to Earth’s climate dynamics. CO2 at Pliocene levels didn’t harm ecosystems then, nor will it now.
Some scientists, like James Hansen, warn of severe warming risks, but Greenland’s past suggests resilience. As a skeptic, I prioritize empirical data—DNA, fossils, and geochemical records—over model-based forecasts. These findings show CO2 levels near today’s supported thriving ecosystems, urging a reasoned approach to climate policy. Science must rely on evidence, not exaggerated predictions, to guide decisions.
DNA reveals life in Greenland 2 million years ago. Average temperatures
were 20 to 34 degrees Fahrenheit (11 to 19 degrees Celsius) higher than today.
Oldest known DNA reveals life in Greenland 2 million years ago. By Maddie Burakoff, Associated Press, Published: December 7, 2022. During the region's warm period, when average temperatures were 20 to 34 degrees Fahrenheit (11 to 19 degrees Celsius) higher than today, the area was filled with an unusual array of plant and animal life, the researchers reported. The DNA fragments suggest a mix of Arctic plants, like birch trees and willow C2 shrubs, with ones that usually prefer warmer climates, like firs and cedars. Ref. www.adn.com.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Permafrost | Frozen ground preserving DNA and fossils in cold regions like Greenland. |
| Mastodon | Extinct mammal, resembling elephants, found in Greenland’s DNA ~2 million years ago. |
| ppm | Parts per million; measure of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. |
| Pliocene | Geological epoch ~5.3–2.6 million years ago, with warmer climates than today. |
Central American Seaway and Ice Ages
My geological research shows Earth entered an ice age ~2.5 million years ago, influenced by the Central American Seaway’s closure ~3–2.5 million years ago. This seaway, linking the Pacific and Atlantic, allowed warm currents to flow, maintaining higher global temperatures. Its closure, as Panama’s isthmus formed, disrupted currents like the Gulf Stream, cooling the planet and forming Arctic sea ice, per studies like Zachos et al. (2001). CO2 levels (~300–400 ppm) didn’t drive this cooling—tectonic shifts did, unlike Venus’s CO2-dominated climate.
We’re in the Holocene interglacial, started ~11,700 years ago, following the Eemian interglacial (132,000–120,000 years ago), which was warmer with hippos in Europe. England’s Mediterranean climate and macaque fossils in London (~750,000 years ago) show life thrived in warmth. CO2 wasn’t harmful then, nor is it now at ~420 ppm. Historical data, not models, should guide climate understanding.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Interglacial | Warm period between ice ages; the Holocene is the current interglacial. |
| Holocene | Current geological epoch, began ~11,700 years ago with warming. |
Polar Bears and Climate Resilience
Polar bears, evolving ~600,000 years ago, survived multiple warm interglacials, like the Eemian, when temperatures exceeded today’s. DNA evidence shows polar and brown bears interbreed, adapting to climate shifts. Fossils confirm they thrived through ice-free periods, unlike Venus’s uninhabitable conditions driven by extreme CO2. CO2 levels, higher in past interglacials, didn’t threaten them, challenging claims of extinction from current warming.
Predictions of an ice-free Arctic, common since the 1960s, often overstate risks. In 2023, Arctic summer sea ice surpassed 1980 levels, despite CO2 rising from ~340 ppm to ~420 ppm, per satellite data. Historical resilience, not model forecasts, should inform policy. As a skeptic, I trust data—fossils and DNA—over speculative alarms.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Eemian | Warm interglacial period ~132,000–120,000 years ago, warmer than today. |
| Hybrid | Offspring of two species, like polar and brown bears, showing adaptability. |
Climate Predictions vs. Historical Evidence
My skepticism of climate predictions stems from their reliance on models over empirical data. Some scientists attribute ~2°F warming since 1800 to human CO2, warning of risks, but Greenland’s mastodons, Eemian hippos, and polar bear DNA show warmth boosts biodiversity. Fossils from London (~750,000 years ago) reveal macaques and hippos in a Mediterranean climate, per Lydia Smith (2014). CO2 at ~300–400 ppm then didn’t cause collapse, nor will ~420 ppm now, unlike Venus’s 96.5% CO2 atmosphere, which creates uninhabitable conditions.
Historical alarms—1978 cooling fears, 1934 droughts, 1951 glacier melts, 1969 ice-free Arctic predictions—mirror current concerns, per archived clippings. NOAA data (1910–2017) show increased rainfall, not drought, contradicting model-based fears. While reducing fossil fuels is prudent, opposing practical solutions like nuclear energy suggests political motives over science. Empirical evidence—zircons, fossils, DNA—must guide policy, not speculative models.
Lydia Smith, 2014: “Fossil evidence also suggests macque monkeys lived in London... Hippopotamus also resided in the Thames.”
- Note: All graphics and clippings open in new window.
- 1978 New York Times: 30 Years of Global Cooling Alarmism
- 1934 Times Daily: Severe Global Drought
- 1951 Muncie Evening Press: Glaciers Melting
- 1969 New York Times: Arctic Ice to Vanish in 20 Years
- NOAA: Increased Rainfall 1910–2017
Evidence based Earth Science
- Climate Change is not a Hoax - Bristol Blog
- Plant Stomata CO2 Climate Record - Bristol Blog
- Oceans Regulate Climate: Earth’s Resilience
- Answering the Eco-Luddites Fear of Technology
- Eco-Theology: Indoctrinating Kids, Breaking the Constitution
- Environmentalism as Religion: Dogma Over Data
- Lovelock, Earth vs. Venus, and Hansen’s Alarmism
- Venus Was Never Like Earth: Science Demands Proof
- Arctic Ice Defies Climate Models: A Case for Natural Cycles
- Nuclear power and radiation facts:
- Applied Science in Action: Nuclear Reactors and Radiation Realities in Southwest Virginia
- Solar, Wind are Climate Corporatism - Bristol Blog
- CANDU Reactors – A Clean Nuclear Solution
- Standardizing Nuclear Reactors and Cutting Politics
- Nuclear Graveyards Abound with Life
- What About Humans and Nuclear Radiation?
- Radiation Basics They Should Teach in High School
- Misconceptions About Radon: Data Over Fear in Public Policy
- Natural Radioactivity in Everyday Life: Separating Fact from Fear
- What Level of Knowledge Do You Need for Electronics Technology?
- Electronics and Technology for the Hobbyist and Home Scientist