Mass melting of Antarctic ice sheet led to three metre sea level rise 120,000 years ago

Cause of rise was ocean warming of less than 2C, which has major implications for future, researchers warn

Mass melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet, driven by warmer ocean temperatures, was a major cause of extreme sea level rise more than 100,000 years ago, according to new research.

A research team, led by scientists at the University of New South Wales, examined the cause of high sea levels during a period known as the last interglacial, which occurred 129,000-116,000 years ago.