Sediments hold a record of ancient winds

Scientists have uncovered a 17,000-year history of shifting winds sitting at the bottom of a New Zealand lake bed

The Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties are strong winds that encircle Antarctica. They are almost unimpeded by land except for the tip of South America and the southern end of New Zealand’s South Island.

These winds play a major role in Earth’s climate, helping to regulate the carbon dioxide exchange between the deep ocean and atmosphere, and influencing rainfall, temperature and sea ice extent in the Southern Hemisphere. Now scientists have uncovered a 17,000-year history of these shifting winds, sitting at the bottom of a New Zealand lake bed.

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