Climate change halted new ice age in Canada, study finds

Canadian researchers found the Barnes ice cap was expanding until about 1960, suggesting a new glacial period was beginning, but climate change halted this process and prevented a new ice age. The Barnes ice cap in northeastern Canada covers about 6,000 square kilometers. Researchers analyzed carbon-14 traces in vegetation around the glacier, discovering it began expanding about 2,000 years ago after reaching its minimum size 3,000 years ago. The summer of 1961 marked a turning point, with record heat reversing the expansion. The findings challenge previous models suggesting the next glaciation would begin in thousands of years. Scientists say the ice cap's disappearance could alter future glaciation dynamics, as it previously served as a starting point for new glacial periods through cooling feedback effects.