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The Godwin Laboratory for Palaeoclimate Research

 
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A series of 50 minute lectures, followed by discussion, on the broad topic of environmental evolution, climate, ecological and human change during the Quaternary (the last ~2.6 million years). The lectures are aimed at a broad audience (including geoscientists, glaciologists, environmental scientists, atmospheric chemists, biologists, anthropologists and archaeologists). Seminars are on Wednesdays in the Department of Geography Small Lecture Theatre (Downing Site), starting at 17:30. Refreshments are served after the talks and there is time for discussion over drinks and/or dinner. QDG is currently organised by Jinheum Park and Isobel Rowell, supported by David Hodell, Christine Lane, Francesco Muschitiello and Eric Wolff. Please feel free to contact us with queries and suggestions. To sign up to the QDG mailing list, follow this link: https://lists.cam.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/soc-qdg-quaternary-disc-reminder
Updated: 23 min 9 sec ago

Wed 05 Jun 17:30: TBC Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Wed, 27/03/2024 - 12:36
TBC

Abstract not available

Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

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Wed 12 Jun 17:30: Palaeoecological Insights into the Causes and Consequences of Mid-Late Quaternary Megafauna Extinction in Asia and Australia Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Wed, 27/03/2024 - 12:35
Palaeoecological Insights into the Causes and Consequences of Mid-Late Quaternary Megafauna Extinction in Asia and Australia

Mid-Late Quaternary megafauna extinctions have long intrigued researchers seeking to understand the causes and consequences of these significant ecological events. What role did fluctuations in climate, shifts in vegetation composition, alterations in habitat distribution, and the impact of human settlement play in megafauna extinction? One way to help us better understand the role of environmental change in the extinction process is to use palaeoecological techniques (pollen, spore and charcoal analysis) combined with well resolved geochronological estimates to reconstruct palaeoenvironmental conditions that occur before, during, and after past megafauna extinctions. Here I present two palaeoecological case studies that provide insights into megafauna extinction in Asia and Australia: (i) the largest ever primate and one of the largest of the southeast Asian megafauna, Gigantopithecus blacki, that persisted in China from about 2.0 million years until the late middle Pleistocene when it became extinct, well before the appearance of Homo sapiens on the landscape, and (ii) the multiple extinctions of megafauna that occurred across Australia around 50,000-40,000 years ago that coincide with a time when people were present across the Australian landscape. This presentation underscores the importance of interdisciplinary approaches integrating palaeoecological, geochronological, archaeological, and climatological perspectives to unravel the complexities of past megafauna extinctions and inform strategies for mitigating future biodiversity crises.

Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

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Wed 15 May 17:30: Radiocarbon dating and conspiracy theories Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Wed, 27/03/2024 - 12:34
Radiocarbon dating and conspiracy theories

A range of conspiracy theories involving radiocarbon dating have become popular on the Internet over the past years. Examples include the radiocarbon dating of dinosaur fossils that supposedly reveal problems with a geologically old Earth, claims that entire centuries of European history have been made up, and archaeological sites that supposedly provide evidence for a long-lost Younger Dryas civilization that is being hidden or denied by “Big Archaeology”. We will look at what these conspiracy theories claim, followed by more down-to-Earth explanations. We then discuss the dangers of such conspiracy theories, and provide some pointers for dealing with them.

Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

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Wed 24 Apr 17:30: Title to be confirmed Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Wed, 27/03/2024 - 12:33
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

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Wed 15 May 17:30: Radiocarbon dating and conspiracy theories

Wed, 27/03/2024 - 11:23
Radiocarbon dating and conspiracy theories

A range of conspiracy theories involving radiocarbon dating have become popular on the Internet over the past years. Examples include the radiocarbon dating of dinosaur fossils that supposedly reveal problems with a geologically old Earth, claims that entire centuries of European history have been made up, and archaeological sites that supposedly provide evidence for a long-lost Younger Dryas civilization that is being hidden or denied by “Big Archaeology”. We will look at what these conspiracy theories claim, followed by more down-to-Earth explanations. We then discuss the dangers of such conspiracy theories, and provide some pointers for dealing with them.

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Wed 05 Jun 17:30: TBC

Thu, 07/03/2024 - 12:08
TBC

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Wed 24 Apr 17:30: Title to be confirmed

Fri, 23/02/2024 - 09:47
Title to be confirmed

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Wed 15 May 17:30: Title to be confirmed

Fri, 23/02/2024 - 09:47
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

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Wed 12 Jun 17:30: Palaeoecological Insights into the Causes and Consequences of Mid-Late Quaternary Megafauna Extinction in Asia and Australia Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Fri, 23/02/2024 - 09:47
Palaeoecological Insights into the Causes and Consequences of Mid-Late Quaternary Megafauna Extinction in Asia and Australia

Mid-Late Quaternary megafauna extinctions have long intrigued researchers seeking to understand the causes and consequences of these significant ecological events. What role did fluctuations in climate, shifts in vegetation composition, alterations in habitat distribution, and the impact of human settlement play in megafauna extinction? One way to help us better understand the role of environmental change in the extinction process is to use palaeoecological techniques (pollen, spore and charcoal analysis) combined with well resolved geochronological estimates to reconstruct palaeoenvironmental conditions that occur before, during, and after past megafauna extinctions. Here I present two palaeoecological case studies that provide insights into megafauna extinction in Asia and Australia: (i) the largest ever primate and one of the largest of the southeast Asian megafauna, Gigantopithecus blacki, that persisted in China from about 2.0 million years until the late middle Pleistocene when it became extinct, well before the appearance of Homo sapiens on the landscape, and (ii) the multiple extinctions of megafauna that occurred across Australia around 50,000-40,000 years ago that coincide with a time when people were present across the Australian landscape. This presentation underscores the importance of interdisciplinary approaches integrating palaeoecological, geochronological, archaeological, and climatological perspectives to unravel the complexities of past megafauna extinctions and inform strategies for mitigating future biodiversity crises.

Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

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Wed 21 Feb 17:30: Microplastics from geologists' perspective Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Thu, 08/02/2024 - 13:44
Microplastics from geologists' perspective

Abstract not available

Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

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Wed 07 Feb 17:30: The West Antarctic Ice Sheet and sea level in the last interglacial Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Tue, 06/02/2024 - 10:25
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet and sea level in the last interglacial

There is intense interest in the future stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). Models range widely in their predictions and in the physics they include. We can constrain possible outcomes by observing what happened to ice sheets at previous times when the polar regions were warmer than present. The last interglacial (LIG) is a particularly important time because both Greenland and Antarctic temperature were higher than present and so was sea level.

Within the WACSWAIN (WArm Climate Stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet in the last INterglacial) project, in 2019 we retrieved a 651 metre ice core to the bed of Skytrain Ice Rise. This ice rise is adjacent to the Ronne Ice Shelf and the WAIS , and therefore sensitive to their extent. The ice core has been processed and analysed continuously for a range of analytes, and we can show that ice from the LIG is present.

I will start by describing the project, fieldwork and analyses. Eventually, I will show what happened to the ice around Skytrain Ice Rise in the LIG , and discuss how this fits with other evidence about LIG sea level.

Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

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Wed 15 May 17:30: Title to be confirmed

Mon, 05/02/2024 - 10:30
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Wed 24 Apr 17:30: Title to be confirmed

Wed, 31/01/2024 - 14:23
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Wed 12 Jun 17:30: Title to be confirmed

Wed, 31/01/2024 - 14:22
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Wed 21 Feb 17:30: Microplastics from geologists' perspective Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Mon, 22/01/2024 - 10:41
Microplastics from geologists' perspective

Abstract not available

Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

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Wed 07 Feb 17:30: The West Antarctic Ice Sheet and sea level in the last interglacial Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Mon, 15/01/2024 - 13:40
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet and sea level in the last interglacial

There is intense interest in the future stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). Models range widely in their predictions and in the physics they include. We can constrain possible outcomes by observing what happened to ice sheets at previous times when the polar regions were warmer than present. The last interglacial (LIG) is a particularly important time because both Greenland and Antarctic temperature were higher than present and so was sea level.

Within the WACSWAIN (WArm Climate Stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet in the last INterglacial) project, in 2019 we retrieved a 651 metre ice core to the bed of Skytrain Ice Rise. This ice rise is adjacent to the Ronne Ice Shelf and the WAIS , an therefore sensitive to their extent. The ice core has been processed and analysed continuously for a range of analytes, and we can show that ice from the LIG is present.

I will start by describing the project, fieldwork and analyses. Eventually, I will show what happened to the ice around Skytrain Ice Rise in the LIG , and discuss how this fits with other evidence about LIG sea level.

Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 21 Feb 17:30: TBC Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

Wed, 10/01/2024 - 12:51
TBC

Abstract not available

Building doors are card operated, so latecomers may not be able to access the venue.

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