Vulpes Qiuzhudingi: Was High Tibet The Cradle Of Evolution For Cold-Adapted Mammals?
Tuesday, June 10, 2014 - 21:40
in Earth & Climate
For the last 2.5 million years, our planet has experienced lengthy cold cycles with brief interruptions by warm ones. During cold periods, continental-scale ice sheets blanketed large tracts of the northern hemisphere and as the climate warmed up, these colossal glaciers receded, leaving Yosemite-like valleys and other majestic geologic features behind. Obviously, the advance and retreat of the ice sheets also had a profound influence on the evolution and geographic distribution of many animals, including those that live today in the Arctic regions. read more