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Researchers from the University of Bern are delving into Antarctica’s oldest ice, extracted from a depth of more than 2,500 metres. These samples hold crucial clues to the Mid-Pleistocene Transition, a pivotal period 900,000 to 1.2 million years ago, vital for understanding Earth’s climate future.
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February 27, 2026 – 10:00
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This week on ‘The Swiss Connection’ science podcast, we visit the Institute for Climate and Environmental Physics at the University of Bern. Join researchers Hubertus Fischer and Florian Kraus as they unveil their groundbreaking work. They have developed a specialised laser device to meticulously analyse carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases trapped in ancient air bubbles within these ice samples. This innovative approach allows them to reconstruct Earth’s past climate with unprecedented detail.
Fischer and Kraus are integral members of the European project Beyond EPICA – Oldest IceExternal link, an ambitious endeavour aiming to analyse ice formed over a million years ago. Their ultimate goal is to gain a deeper understanding of past climate change and, in turn, better assess humanity’s impact on our planet’s climate.
A key focus of their research is to unravel one of palaeoclimatology’s enduring enigmas: why the rhythm of Earth’s glaciations dramatically shifted around a million years ago, becoming longer and more intense.
Find out more about the ‘The Swiss Connection’ science podcast and our other Swiss podcasts in English here, on Apple PodcastsExternal link, or SpotifyExternal link.
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Glaciers & permafrost
Swiss science seeks answers to climate change in Antarctic ice
This content was published on
Oct 1, 2025
Researchers in Bern are studying some of the oldest ice samples on the planet. They want to shed light on one of the main mysteries of the Earth’s climate.
Read more: Swiss science seeks answers to climate change in Antarctic ice
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