Jan 12, 2026
Air quality and pet health
Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us.
In this episode, Sarah Shackleton shares climate lessons learned from 6 million-year-old ice.
In this episode, we cover:
•[00:00] Introduction
•[01:02] Paleoclimate and ice scientist Sarah Shackleton introduces
the information researchers can glean from ice cores.
•[02:02] She recounts the age extent of previous ice cores.
•[03:03] Shackleton describes the Allan Hills Ice Area.
•[04:35] She describes the method for ascertaining the age of air
in an ice core.
•[05:49] She explains the results of the study and the insights
into the climate in Antarctica over the last 6 million years.
•[06:32] Shackleton talks about the ice at the base of the core,
and the research implications of the study.
•[08:13] Caveats and limitations of the study.
•[09:11] Conclusion.
About Our Guest:
Sarah Shackleton
Assistant scientist
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2502681122
Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for more captivating discussions on scientific breakthroughs!
Visit Science Sessions on PNAS.org: https://www.pnas.org/about/science-sessions-podcast
Follow PNAS:
Twitter/X
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube
Sign up for the
PNAS Highlights newsletter