Book excerpt: Past Antarctica: Paleoclimatology and Climate Change presents research on the past and present of Antarctica in reference to its current condition, including considerations for effects due to climate change. Experts in the field explore key topics, including environmental changes, human colonization and present environmental trends. Addressing a wide range of fields, including the biosphere, geology and biochemistry, the book offers geographers, climatologists and other Earth scientists a vital resource that is beneficial to an understanding of Antarctica, its history and conservation efforts. - Synthesizes research on the past and present of Antarctica, bringing together top Earth scientists who work in this discipline - Presents the most complete reconstruction of the paleoclimate and environment of Antarctica, tying in long-term climatic changes to the current environment - Offers perspectives from different branches of the Earth Sciences using a spatial-temporal lens