Researchers Found Ice Over 128,000 Years Old
Scientists identified ancient ice layers on the Guliya Plateau that predate the current Holocene geological epoch.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Geography
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Researchers have discovered ice on the Guliya Plateau in Tibet dating back more than 128,000 years. This significant finding extends the known climate record of the Tibetan Plateau well beyond the beginning of the Holocene.
Why it matters
Establishing an accurate timeline of ancient ice allows scientists to better understand historical glaciation and global climate processes. This data serves as a crucial benchmark for studying environmental changes that occurred long before modern human records.
The team utilized radioactive isotopes of beryllium and chlorine to date the ice layers, comparing these results with oxygen isotope records from cave deposits. Samples were gathered during collection efforts conducted in 1992 and 2015.
The players
Guliya Plateau
This high-altitude region in Tibet serves as a vital location for climatological research due to its extensive ice caps.
Peruvian Andes
This mountain range hosts glaciers that provide comparative ice core data for global climate studies.
The details
The ice core samples provide a rare look into environmental conditions occurring prior to the current epoch. By comparing these findings to ice cores from the Peruvian Andes, which extend back over 30,000 years, researchers have gained a broader perspective on global climate history, including the period surrounding the Leschamp Geomagnetic Excursion.
Timeline
128,000 years ago: Oldest ice identified on the Guliya Plateau.
41,000 years ago: The Leschamp Geomagnetic Excursion occurred.
12,000 years ago: The Holocene geological epoch began.
1992: Initial ice core collection took place on the Guliya Plateau.
2015: Secondary ice core collection occurred at the site.
The Big Picture
This discovery shifts the trajectory of paleoclimatology by bridging the gap between the Holocene epoch and older glacial periods. It provides a new theoretical framework for interpreting long-term climate data that legacy research has previously struggled to categorize.
While this discovery is primarily a scientific breakthrough, it improves the accuracy of climate models that predict future environmental trends. Refined models lead to better informed policies regarding global environmental stability and resource management.
The takeaway
Understanding the deep history of Earth's climate helps provide the necessary context to interpret modern changes in the environment. Scientists continue to use these ancient ice records to piece together a more complete map of our planet's long-term atmospheric shifts.
Further reading
For more information on how geographical studies inform our understanding of the planet, explore our Geography section.
More information
Read the full findings in the Science Advances research article.
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