No fewer than five researchers from the Department of Geoscience have received grants from the Independent Research Fund Denmark for groundbreaking projects that shed light on Earth’s geological and climatic past — providing critical perspectives for addressing future climate challenges.

Stephane Bodin leads the project, "From the ocean to the continent: A leap forward in our understanding of the Jenkyns Event (Toarcian, Early Jurassic),"which will explore the Jenkyns Event in the early Jurassic — a severe climate catastrophe driven by volcanic activity and considered an analogue to today’s anthropogenic climate disruptions. By analyzing underexplored terrestrial Toarcian deposits in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, the project aims to gain insights into atmospheric CO₂ levels and land-based environmental responses.

Christof Pearce heads the project, "GreenTrace: Trace Fossils as quantitative proxies in Quaternary paleoceanography around Greenland," which uses advanced imaging technology to study trace fossils in marine sediments around Greenland, aiming to decode past climate changes and understand the Arctic’s sensitivity to climate shifts.

Marit-Solveig L.S. Seidenkrantz leads the project, "Pliocene and Early Pleistocene: analogue for future warm conditions in the Arctic (PlioArc)," which investigates the climate of the Arctic during the Pliocene and early Pleistocene — a warmer period that resembles the conditions expected in the Arctic in the future.

Mads Andreas Faurschou Knudsen heads the project, "The southern Caucasus – a hotspot for early human evolution and dispersal?" in the southern Caucasus, a key region for human development and migration. Using modern dating methods, the project will study the presence and evolution of human species in the area over the past two million years.

Søren Munch Kristiansen is conducting research in the project, "The cradles of agrodiversity in Northern Europe: A Holocene soil chronosequence approach (CRADLESOIL)," which analyzes soil material from archaeological excavations in Denmark and Sweden. Through this, he will explore the origins and development of horticulture in Northern Europe, providing insights into the history of agriculture and food security.

The Department of Geoscience congratulates the researchers and looks forward to the valuable insights these projects will bring.

You can read more about the projects here.