Dead moss emerging from an Arctic ice cap records a reversal in the history of North American ice. The plants grew on ground that was later buried as ice advanced, then reappeared as warmer summers drove retreat. Their ages help reconstruct an expansion that modern warming brought to an end.

The study, published in Science, focuses on the Barnes Ice Cap on Canada's Baffin Island. Nicolás Young and Joerg Schaefer of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory worked with colleagues including Gifford Miller at the University of Colorado Boulder. They investigated the surviving remnant of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, which once covered much of northern North America.

Their interpretation reaches beyond one shrinking ice cap. The researchers argue that renewed growth roughly 2,000 years ago marked the earliest stage of the next glacial period. That claim depends partly on how glacial onset is defined, rather than demonstrating that continent-wide ice cover had already returned.

See also: The summary of the paywalled study as published in Nature Earth and Environment

Need advice on how to/ how feasible it is to break into the Earth Sciences field with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.

I realized too late that engineering would not get me into the field/lifestyle I'd like (was highly encouraged by my family to go into engineering). As a recent graduate, it's been very difficult to find entry level positions, especially in a field that protects the planet. I've looked into masters programs for earth science, but for funded programs they appear very competitive and I have no experience in that field aside from one geology class. I've also looked into applying for the NOAA corps which I'm aware only facilitates the science, and doesn't perform it, but seems like it could be a step in the right direction (?).

So, basically how do I leverage my engineering experience into a career in Earth Sciences? I would like to go back to school to study climate change, polar studies, and or volcanology. If I could use my engineering background and combine the two fields to research zero carbon technology or climate tech, that'd be incredible. It's been my dream to go to Antarctica, Svalbard, and the Arctic Circle, to research and protect the natural environment. I'd like to go into academia for research and teaching someday, I just don't know how to get there from my current position and lack of experience.

Any advice or words of wisdom is appreciated. Thanks!