Interglacial

An interglacial period is a time when the Earth gets warmer for thousands of years between colder times called glacial periods. These warmer times happen during an ice age, which is a long period when much of the world is covered in ice.

Right now, we are living in an interglacial period called the Holocene. It began about 11,700 years ago, after a much colder time known as the Pleistocene. During interglacials, ice sheets shrink, temperatures rise, and life on Earth changes in many interesting ways.

These periods are important for understanding how our climate has changed over time and how it might change in the future. By studying past interglacials, scientists can learn more about the Earth’s natural climate patterns and what might happen as the planet continues to warm.

Pleistocene

During the Pleistocene, which lasted about 2.5 million years, Earth went through many cycles of cold and warm periods. These cold times are called glacials, when large ice sheets covered parts of North America and Europe. Between these cold periods were warmer times called interglacials.

During interglacials, the climate became warmer, and the icy tundra moved farther north. Forests grew back in places that were once cold and icy. Scientists study these changes by looking at fossils, pollen, and other clues left behind. They also examine ice and ocean sediment cores to learn more about past temperatures and ice levels. These warm periods help us understand Earth's history and are important for studying ancient human relatives, known as hominids.

Specific interglacials

The Earth has gone through several warm periods called interglacials. These are times when the climate was much warmer than during the cold glacial periods. Here are the last six interglacials:

• Marine Isotope Stage 13 (524–474 thousand years ago).
• Hoxnian / Holstein / Mindel-Riss / Marine Isotope Stage 11 (424–374 thousand years ago).
• Purfleet Interglacial / Marine Isotope Stage 9 (337–300 thousand years ago).
• La Bouchet Interglacial / Arousa Interglacial / Aveley Interglacial / Marine Isotope Stage 7e (242–230 thousand years ago).
• Last Interglacial / Eemian / Marine Isotope Stage 5e (130–115 thousand years ago).
• Holocene (12,000 years ago to the present).

Each of these periods brought warmer temperatures and changes to plant and animal life. The most recent interglacial, the Holocene, is the warm period we are living in today.