Soxy Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Linky-linky Scientists unveil world's oldest ice block Tue Apr 18, 5:42 AM ET TOKYO (Reuters) - A million-year-old ice sample drilled from 3 kilometres under the Antarctic and unveiled in Tokyo on Tuesday could yield vital clues on climate change, Japanese scientists said. Researchers, showing off the cylindrical samples of what they said was the oldest ice ever to be retrieved, said studying air trapped inside "core" samples taken from various depths under ground could also help predict how the Earth's weather patterns will change in the future. "The ice core is made up of snow that fell in the distant past," said project leader Hideaki Motoyama of the National Institute of Polar Research, dressed snugly in a parka after unveiling the gleaming ice in a room kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit). "You can use it to examine changes in temperature, levels of carbon dioxide and methane over time, information that is only available from the core," he said. Researchers at the Dome Fuji base in the eastern Antarctic spent more than two years on the delicate operation of drilling into the ice sheet, coming up with the million-year-old samples in January and shipping them to Japan on an icebreaker. Research based on a previous study of Antarctic ice and published by Nature magazine last year said concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane were far higher now than at any time in the last 650,000 years. The Japanese team will look farther into the past and are also hoping the ice samples will yield opportunities to study the evolution of tiny organisms trapped in the ice. "The environment there is very harsh, with temperatures about minus 45 degrees, so we don't know if life can be sustained," Motoyama said. "But we believe we will find organisms." The researchers believe they can dig about another 20 metres into the ice at the Antarctic site before reaching base rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pauly8509CWS Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 I wonder if one could skate on it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCaucasian Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 QUOTE(Soxy @ Apr 18, 2006 -> 09:32 AM) The researchers believe they can dig about another 20 metres into the ice at the Antarctic site before reaching base rock. Or drill into one of the buildings of Atlantis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxfest Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 I think it is neat as hell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonik22 Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 (edited) Theres not enough pictures of the ice! How do i know its not just regular new ice? Paul wall could use that ice in his grill! Edited April 18, 2006 by Sonik22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Damn, I thought it said lice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Vanilla Ice put out a remix to Ice, Ice, Baby? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 now they just need to find some million-year-old scotch to go with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxfest Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 QUOTE(thedoctor @ Apr 18, 2006 -> 08:43 PM) now they just need to find some million-year-old scotch to go with it. good one I like that response Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 QUOTE(thedoctor @ Apr 18, 2006 -> 07:43 PM) now they just need to find some million-year-old scotch to go with it. POTM Nominee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwritecode Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2006 -> 06:47 PM) Vanilla Ice put out a remix to Ice, Ice, Baby? Actually he did redo that song as a heavy/death metal song. Pretty hilarious hearing him scream "ICE ICE BABY" in a really deep voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 QUOTE(Texsox @ Apr 19, 2006 -> 02:46 AM) POTM Nominee lol. it's amazing what a good glass of wine can do for your wit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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