interglaciális

Interglacials are warm periods occurring between glacial periods, also known as ice ages. During an interglacial, global temperatures rise, causing ice sheets and glaciers to retreat. This warming is characterized by a significant increase in average global temperatures, leading to higher sea levels as ice melts.

These interglacial periods are natural cycles within Earth's long-term climate history, driven by various factors including changes in Earth's orbit (Milankovitch cycles), variations in solar radiation, and atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. The last interglacial period, the Eemian, occurred approximately 125,000 years ago and was characterized by warmer temperatures than today and higher sea levels.

The current interglacial period, the Holocene, began around 11,700 years ago, following the last glacial period. The Holocene has provided relatively stable and warm conditions that have been conducive to the development of human civilization. While interglacials are naturally occurring, current warming trends are exacerbated by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, raising concerns about the future state of Earth's climate. Understanding past interglacials helps scientists model and predict future climate change.