A short hike to the beach 20,000 years ago

The Last Glaciation began about 110,000 years ago with massive expansion of ice-sheets in northern Europe, north Asia, North America and Antarctica.  The source of water for the ice-sheets was the oceans.  Based on geological mapping, dating of glacial deposits, and other physical evidence for ice movement it has been determined that the maximum extent of glacial ice from a global perspective occurred about 20000 years ago; this is referred to as the Late Glacial Maximum or (LGM).  Mapping also indicates that global sea-level was on average about 100m -120m below present sea-level. Continue reading →