The Ancients End of Ice Age Britain
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Feb 23, 2025 In this intriguing discussion, Professor Danielle Schreve, a paleobiologist from the University of Bristol and expert on the end of the Ice Age in Britain, highlights how massive climatic changes impacted both fauna and early humans. She dives into the survival tactics of ancient mammals like woolly mammoths and the adaptations of early humans amidst dramatic environmental shifts. The role of limestone caves as time capsules revealing past climates and ecosystems is also explored, providing insights that echo today's climate challenges.
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Britain's Transformation
- Britain's landscape, environment, and fauna underwent a dramatic transformation during the end of the Ice Age.
- These changes are considered some of the most significant in Britain's history.
Last Glacial Maximum in Britain
- During the Last Glacial Maximum, Britain was extremely cold, with ice sheets covering much of the land.
- A polar desert with permafrost existed, and Britain was connected to continental Europe due to lower sea levels.
Fauna of the Last Glacial Maximum
- Despite the harsh conditions, a surprising variety of cold-adapted species inhabited Britain during the Last Glacial Maximum.
- These included woolly mammoths, reindeer, muskox, and mountain hare.