octopuses, unexpected markers of climate change

Antarctica has had a turbulent history between periods of glaciation and global warming. Scientists are seeking to anticipate what the polar cap could become with the current increase in temperatures. And for this, they can count on help as precious as it is unexpected, that of octopuses. Thanks to these animals, scientists have discovered that part of the ice cap could melt faster than expected. This is the conclusion of a study published Thursday, December 21 in the journal Science.

To do this, scientists studied the genome of Turquet’s octopuses, which live around Antarctica in different seas, today separated by ice. These communities therefore evolve isolated from each other. But in fact, by studying the DNA of these octopuses, scientists came to the conclusion that in the past they could mate freely. In other words, West Antarctica was ice-free 125,000 years ago. The Amundsen, Ross and Weddell Seas were then connected by ice-free sea passages.

A collapse of part of Antarctica faster than expected

Understanding current phenomena allows us to compare the two eras. 125,000 years ago, the planet experienced a period of warming. Temperatures then were about 1.5 degrees warmer than those of the pre-industrial revolution. Which is not unlike something…

Indeed, 1.5 degrees more than in the pre-industrial era is almost the average increase in temperatures that the Earth is experiencing at the moment. For scientists, the scenario of rapid melting and collapse of part of Antarctica is therefore very real and could undoubtedly be faster than imagined. This melting 125,000 years ago led to a rise in sea levels of 5 to 10 meters.