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Deep in the state of Sierra mountain range, enormous glaciers are disappearing and projected to melt away entirely by the start of the next century, resulting in ice-free peaks for the first time in human history, recent studies has discovered.

Age-Old Beginnings of Sierra Nevada Glaciers

The range's ice sheets are older than earlier understood, tracing back many thousands of years, with some as old as the most recent glacial period, according to an article released recently.

“Our reconstructed ice age record indicates that a coming glacier-free Sierra Nevada is unprecedented in the history of humankind since known settlement of the Americas around twenty thousand years ago,” the study states.

Worldwide Threat to Glaciers

Glaciers globally are at risk during the climate emergency. A research published in the month of May of this year found that nearly 40% of ice sheets are destined to melt because of climate warming. If such heating rises by 2.7C, which the planet is presently on track for, as many as seventy-five percent will disappear, leading to sea level rise and mass displacement.

Throughout the American west, ice formations have diminished significantly since they were first documented in the 1800s, according to the report.

Focus on Key Glaciers

The recent study focuses on several Sierra Nevada glaciers – the Conness, Maclure, Lyell and Palisade ice sheets – that are some of the biggest and likely oldest in the range. Their longevity during climate warming makes them “indicators” for studying ice loss in the western region, the article states.

Research Methods and Results

Researchers examined newly uncovered base rock around the ice formations and took samples to ascertain how long the region was covered by ice. They determined that the glaciers have enveloped swaths of the range for far longer than previously known – since prior to humans inhabited North America.

The state's glaciers attained their peak extents as long ago as 30,000 years ago, the article’s authors stated, and a particular of the glaciers experts studied is thought to have grown 7,000 years ago, earlier than previously believed. The disappearance of ice formations, for the initial time in recorded history, demonstrates the profound effects of the climate crisis, one author of the study said.

Ecological and Representational Impact

“We’ll be the initial ones to witness the ice-free peaks,” said the study's lead researcher, the principal investigator. “This has ecological implications for flora and fauna. And it’s a symbolic loss. Global warming is highly intangible, but these glaciers are concrete. They’re iconic features of the Western U.S..”