Ancient Algae Discovered Deep Inside Tropical Glaciers Reveal Past Climate

Scientists may have learned a bit more about the environment that existed more than a millennium ago. They've uncovered the remains of tiny creatures found deep inside a mountaintop glacier in Peru that may tell them a bit more about the ancient past.

The tiny creatures are called diatoms, which are a type of algae. They were found in ice cores pulled from the Quelccaya summit Dome Glacier. It's likely the organisms were transported in air currents to the glacier, were they were deposited before becoming frozen in the glacial ice.

"When we saw the first diatom and realized it possessed periodic nanoscale structure, we knew we were documenting irreplaceable snapshots in archaeological time and space," said Bruce Brinson, one of the researchers, in a news release.

There are diatoms in dust that are actually transported globally. However, the diatoms' excellent condition suggests that they hadn't travelled far. Instead, the ones they found were likely evidence of past conditions in the general area.

The findings reveal a bit more about the region in the ancient past. By studying these diatoms and finding others elsewhere, the researchers can learn a bit more about past climate, which may refine their studies on climate shifts and what conditions impact the environment.

The findings are published in the journal Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research.

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