Antarctica’s Ice: Land, Not Air, Made the Difference | Science News

Science News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 26, 2026 · 2m

Antarctica’s ice age started way earlier than the Arctic’s — even when Earth was 5°C warmer — thanks to a hidden geological twist: rising landmasses fueled by deep-Earth mantle waves. These slow-moving forces lifted East Antarctica, including the Gamburtsev Mountains, to heights cold enough for snow to stick and build into ice. Computer simulations revealed how this topographic shift created the perfect conditions for ice to form before atmospheric cooling kicked in. Once ice began accumulating, it amplified its own chill by reflecting sunlight — proving that it wasn’t just climate change…