# Barnes Ice Cap climate research

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/barnes-ice-cap-climate-research
> Updated: 2026-10-29T15:45:39.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2.

Research conducted on the Barnes Ice Cap on Baffin Island, Canada, suggests that human-induced greenhouse gas emissions may have delayed or halted the onset of a new ice age. Scientists utilized radiocarbon dating of organic remains, such as moss and lichen, alongside beryllium-10 measurements in rocks to reconstruct the ice cap’s historical expansion and contraction.

While the ice cap had been in a period of growth that began approximately 2,000 years ago, researchers observed a significant reversal starting around 1960. The study, published in the journal Science, indicates that rising summer temperatures driven by fossil fuel consumption caused the ice to shrink, with edges retreating at an average rate of four meters per year. 

Lead author and geochemist Nicolás Young of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory characterized the impact of human activity as having “jolted the system,” effectively canceling the next expected period of glaciation driven by Earth’s orbital shifts.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-29: Barnes Ice Cap research suggests human activity halted next ice age

Research on Canada's Barnes Ice Cap suggests human-driven climate change halted the natural progression toward the next ice age around 1960.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/arctic-barnes-ice-cap-research-suggests-humans-halted-next-ice-age

### 2026-10-24: Barnes Ice Cap study suggests human activity may delay glaciation

Research on Canada's Barnes Ice Cap suggests human-driven greenhouse gas emissions may be delaying the onset of a new ice age.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/barnes-ice-cap-study-suggests-human-activity-may-delay-glaciation

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Cite as: Barnes Ice Cap climate research. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/barnes-ice-cap-climate-research