A University of Gothenburg study published in Science Advances suggests that thawing permafrost released significant amounts of carbon after the last Ice Age, potentially explaining nearly half of the atmospheric carbon dioxide increase as Earth transitioned to a warmer climate. For years, scientists attributed this rise primarily to oceanic carbon release. However, this new research indicates that frozen soils across the Northern Hemisphere, particularly north of 23.5 degrees latitude, stored vast quantities of organic matter that decomposed upon thawing. This decomposition released an estimated 300 petagrams of carbon between 17,000 and 11,000 years ago, contributing approximately 52 parts per million to the atmospheric CO2 rise. The study also notes that subsequent peatland expansion helped reabsorb carbon, creating a natural balance, but raises concerns about future permafrost thaw accelerating modern climate change due to the rapid pace of current warming and potential limitations in future carbon sequestration.