Dannelsen af [[Antarktis’ iskappe]] startede mellem [[Eocæn]] og [[Oligocæn]], da [[Jordens atmosfære|atmosfærens]] CO2 indhold faldt drastisk, hvilket bl.a. forårsagede at temperaturen faldt.<ref>[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201174225.htm Purdue University (2011, December 1). Drop in carbon dioxide levels led to polar ice sheet, study finds. ScienceDaily] Citat: "...For 100 million years prior to the cooling, which occurred at the end of the [[Eocæn|Eocene]] epoch, Earth was warm and wet...Then, over a span of about 100,000 years, temperatures fell dramatically, many species of animals became extinct, ice covered Antarctica and sea levels fell as the [[Oligocæn|Oligocene]] epoch began...What drove the rise and fall in carbon dioxide levels during the Eocene and Oligocene is not known..."</ref> I den sidste mellemistid for omkring 120.000 år siden smeltede en del af Antarktis’ iskappe, og den globale [[Havniveaustigning|vandstand]] steg  10m over det nuværende niveau.<ref>[https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-looked-at-sea-levels-125-000-years-ago-and-it-s-a-terrifying-look-at-the-future Scientists Study Sea Levels 125,000 Years Ago And It's a Terrifying Look at Our Future. ScienceAlert 2019]</ref>
Historie Geologi