A new study led by scientists at the University of Bristol has warned that unless we mitigate current levels of carbon dioxide emissions, Western Europe and New Zealand could revert to the hot tropical climate of the early Paleogene period – 56-48 million years ago.

Notice, above video is missing the second half.

University of Bristol: A new study led by scientists at the University of Bristol has warned that unless we mitigate current levels of carbon dioxide emissions, Western Europe and New Zealand could revert to the hot tropical climate of the early Paleogene period – 56-48 million years ago.

The Atlantic: They were strange days at the beginning of the age of mammals. The planet was still hungover from the astonishing disappearance of its marquee superstars, the dinosaurs. Earth’s newest crater was still a smoldering system of hydrothermal vents, roiling under the Gulf of Mexico.

Nature: High temperatures in the terrestrial mid-latitudes during the early Palaeogene

Sources

• Animal images via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Eocene_animals
• Eocene Vertebrate Fauna and Flora in Canada’s High Arctic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ue7M5UW-6Y
• Roger Revelle’s 1980 Discussion of CO2 and Climate Risks
• Pixabay.com
• Music & Sound Effects via http://EpicStockMedia.com
• Teaser image Nick Keller https://cargocollective.com/nickbkeller/Personal-Work
• Narration by Matt Prosser

Further reading

• PETM Weirdness http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2009/08/petm-weirdness
• Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleocene%E2%80%93Eocene_Thermal_Maximum
• Paleogene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleogene
• Discovery: Past Global Warming was more Extreme, Temperatures of 12–14C, today equivalent is around 1–2C (2022)