Ancient Volcanic Glass Shards Discovered 3000 Miles from Antarctica
Glass shards from an ancient volcanic eruption in New Zealand's Taupō volcano have been discovered buried beneath 280 meters of Antarctic ice, approximately 3,000 miles away. The shards, along with a seventh shard from an earlier eruption, provide a unique "double fingerprint" of the Taupō volcano as the source. The findings help confirm the timing of the explosive event, which occurred around 230 CE. The discovery validates previous age estimates of tree logs buried by the eruption and offers insights into the volcano's potential global effects on the atmosphere and climate.