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Japanese Scientists Dig up Million-year-old Ice

Posted by samzenpus on from the ancient-daiquiri dept.

ToxikFetus writes "During expedition to Antarctica to research past climate patterns, Japanese scientists unearth million-year-old block of ice, breaking the previous mark by 200,000 years."

8 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. the important question by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So, the important questions is this: What was water made of 1,000,000 years ago?

    (Yes, it's a joke. Yes, I'm aware that this is significant because the trace amounts of other minerals and elements that they'll find in it will be major signifiers of the atmospheric composition back then.)

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    This guy's the limit!
  2. Seriously by quokkapox · · Score: 4, Insightful
    You have all these measurements that come together consistently, the rate of ice formation, the depth of the ice, these cores are probably consistent with other cores from other areas across a wide range of metrics, you could analyze a million different factors and they all happen to come out in favor of an ancient Earth, not a young earth.

    Why won't the fanatics give it up? We need to get with the program and learn as much as we can about this planet before we kill ourselves off permanently.

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    it's a blue bright blue Saturday hey hey
  3. Re:Ice versus.... by spurtle15 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yes, but it is easier for bubbles to form in ice that contains trapped ancient air samples. It's the old air they're excited about.

  4. Re:Let me guess, Troll rating is coming for me.... by nagora · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Wonder what kind of excuses they would make up to still deny the existance of God.

    I don't think anyone needs to make up excuses to deny the existance of gods, I think it's up to the people who do believe in them to come up with reasons to do so. So far, they haven't.

    TWW

    --
    "Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
  5. Re:Ice versus.... by stevesliva · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The reason ice cores are important is that they contain records of climate change, and climate change is big news these days.

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    Who do you get to be an expert to tell you something's not obvious? The least insightful person you can find? -J Roberts
  6. Almost as helpful as the Stardust mission by cwtrex · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I would expect that this ice would contain particles that might help estimate what the earth was made of a million years ago. Who knows how many comets have hit the earth effectively changing the content or even the ability to house life...

  7. Re:bible is teh truth by vettemph · · Score: 2, Insightful

    About as old as God appeared to be when the Christians created Him.

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    The government which is strong enough to protect you from everything is strong enough to take everything from you.
  8. Umm, isn't most ice older? by voxel · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Isn't most or all of earth's "ice" about 4 billion years old?

    He-he.

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    Modesty is one of life's greatest attributes