Ice cores reveal the story of Earth's climate in reverse
order. The uppermost layers of the core tell the most
recent history, with increasingly deeper layers providing
a record of progressively older periods.
Analyses of ice cores offer a direct and detailed record
of atmospheric conditions over time. Glacial ice not
only records changes in the climate but also preserves
evidence of the causes of those changes. By studying
ice cores, scientists hope to more accurately predict
future climate trends.