This study examines deepwater deposits within the Gulf of Mexico (USA) that record an episode of pronounced global warming that occurred ∼56 million years ago. We show that the supply of sand and silt into the basin shut off after a delay of about 30 000 years, followed by an influx of clay derived from deep erosion of central North America. Our results are consistent with other studies that indicate rapid sea-level rise, ocean acidification, and decreased oxygen during this warming event

We used two lake sediment records at different elevations and landscape evidence to find that a southern Greenland outlet glacier advanced ~ 3700 years ago and then retreated ~ 1600 years ago. This retreat is unlike other nearby outlet glaciers, possibly because of the complex local ice structure or greater sensitivity to snowfall. We also find that the advanced ice surface had an elevation of ~ 670 m a.s.l. (~ 250 m higher than today) from ~ 3700 to 1600 years ago.

Are phenomenological dynamical paleoclimate models physically similar to Nature? We demonstrated that though they may be very accurate in reproducing empirical time series, this is not sufficient to claim physical similarity with Nature until similarity parameters are considered. We suggest that the diagnostics of physical similarity should become a standard procedure before a phenomenological model can be utilized for interpretations of historical records or future predictions.

We studied atmosphere–cryosphere interaction during the last phase of the Last Glacial Maximum in the Alpine region, using a high-resolution regional climate model. We analysed the climate south and north of the Alps, using a detailed map of the Alpine equilibrium line altitude (ELA) to study the mechanism that sustained the Alpine glaciers at 21 ka. The Genoa low and a mild Mediterranean Sea led to frequent snowfall in the southern Alps, thus preserving the glaciers and lowering the ELA.

Alkenones and glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether lipids (GDGTs) are common biomarkers for past water temperatures. In high latitudes, determining temperature reliably is challenging. We analyzed 33 Southern Ocean sediment surface samples and evaluated widely used global calibrations for both biomarkers. For GDGT-based temperatures, previously used calibrations best reflect temperatures >5° C; (sub)polar temperature bias necessitates a new calibration which better aligns with modern values.

The southern coast of South Africa hosts some key archeological sites for the study of early human evolution. Here we present a short but high-resolution record of past changes in the hydroclimate and temperature on the southern coast of South Africa based on the study of a speleothem collected from Bloukrantz Cave. Overall, the paleoclimate indicators suggest stable temperature from 48.3 to 45.2 ka, whereas precipitation was variable, with marked short drier episodes.

The Thirty Years' War (from 1618 to 1648 CE), an armed military conflict in Europe, brought extensive devastation to Europe. The paper analyses annual and seasonal temperature, precipitation, and drought patterns, as well as severe weather extremes, based particularly on documentary data, during this event in central Europe to demonstrate their broad impacts on human society and human responses in coincidence with weather and climate during this period of hardship.