Ancient forests took 100,000 years to recover from the last global warming period similar to today – Wyoming fossils reveal what happened

Understanding what happened in these forests 56 million years ago may help humanity recognize similar thresholds before we cross them again, the lead author of a new study writes.

By: Regan E. Dunn, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 13, 2026

Words: 1,179

Last Updated: 4 days, 12 hours ago

Body Text Preview

By Regan E. Dunn, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Fifty-six million years ago, Earth’s forests reached a tipping point. They had grown dense, lush canopies at the start of one of Earth’s most intense episodes of greenhouse warming. But those canopies began to thin.

As global temperatures rose by as much as 11 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius), heat and drought put stress on the forests, killing large numbers of …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us