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Deep in the state of Sierra mountain range, massive ice formations are disappearing and projected to melt away completely by the start of the next century, resulting in ice-free peaks for the initial occasion in recorded human existence, new research has discovered.

Age-Old Beginnings of Sierra Nevada Ice Masses

The range's ice sheets are more ancient than earlier understood, tracing back tens of thousands of years, with a few as ancient as the last ice age, according to an article released recently.

“Our reconstructed ice age record shows that a future ice-free Sierra Nevada is unprecedented in the history of humankind since known peopling of the Americas ~20,000 years ago,” the article declares.

Global Risk to Ice Formations

Ice masses around the world are at risk amid the climate crisis. A research published in May of the current year determined that nearly 40% of glaciers are doomed to melt because of global heating. If such heating rises by 2.7 degrees Celsius, which the world is presently on track for, as up to 75% will vanish, leading to ocean level increase and mass displacement.

Across the American west, ice formations have shrunk substantially since they were initially recorded in the late 19th century, according to the article.

Concentration on Key Glaciers

The new research focuses on four Sierra Nevada glacial masses – the Palisade, Lyell, Maclure and Conness ice sheets – that are some of the largest and likely most ancient in the range. Their longevity amid global heating makes them “bellwethers” for examining ice loss in the western region, the article states.

Research Methods and Results

Researchers examined newly uncovered bedrock around the ice formations and took samples to ascertain how long the area was covered by glacial ice. They determined that the ice masses have enveloped large areas of the mountain system for much longer than previously known – since prior to humans occupied North America.

The state's glacial sheets reached their peak extents as long ago as thirty thousand years ago, the article’s authors stated, and a particular of the glaciers researchers studied is believed to have expanded seven thousand years ago, sooner than once thought. The loss of ice formations, for the first time in human history, shows the profound impacts of the climate crisis, a researcher of the investigation said.

Ecological and Representational Impact

“We’ll be the initial ones to see the ice-free peaks,” said Andrew Jones, the study’s lead author. “This has ecological ramifications for flora and fauna. And it’s a symbolic loss. Global warming is highly intangible, but these ice masses are concrete. They’re symbolic elements of the Western U.S..”