Episode Details

In this episode of Climate Debrief, host Angela Wheeler speaks with geologist Koen Vogel, Ph.D., about one of climate science’s biggest unanswered questions: What caused the massive ice sheets of the last Ice Age to melt?

Drawing on peer-reviewed research, Dr. Vogel examines the evidence behind CO₂, Milankovitch cycles, and other proposed explanations, highlighting why many popular theories struggle to explain the timing and scale of the deglaciation. The discussion explores abrupt climate shifts, ancient ice sheets, and the scientific challenges of reconstructing Earth's climatic past.