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Social Sciences and History / Unit 10   SSH 0939 short lesson, about 20 seconds

ENSO and the Pleistocene: Change on Two Clocks

Captions available

The idea

The Pleistocene, one point eight million to about ten thousand years ago, cycled glacial and interglacial periods; ours has run about ten thousand years. ENSO recurs every two to seven years: trade winds weaken or reverse, warm water piles up off South America, and upwelling off Peru ceases.

In practice

La Niña as the cold counterpart.

Where people slip

Long-term causes: plate tectonics, supercontinents, volcanism.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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