Description
Beginning about 50 million years ago, Earth’s average temperature began a long-term decline, culminating 2.7 million years ago in increasingly dramatic swings in global climate. This interval, known as the Quaternary Period, is marked by recurring ice ages that alternated with warmer periods. Understanding how these climate changes affected Earth’s landscapes is a major goal of Quaternary scientists. This class focuses on research results gathered in New Mexico.
Les McFadden is a professor emeritus in the UNM Earth & Planetary Sciences (E&PS) Department. He received an MS & PhD in geosciences from the University of Arizona and a BA in anthropology from Stanford. He served as chair of the E&PS Department, and received the Kirk Bryan Award for Excellence.