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Around 56 million years ago, Earth's temperatures spiked. That period of time is known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, or PETM for short. It was one of the warmest periods in Earth history. Global temperatures likely rose by 9 to 14°F (5 to 8°C) for thousands of years. Geologists and paleontologists have known about the high temperatures for decades, but questions remain. How did the spike affect life on Earth? Could it happen again? [Source: NOAA Climate.gov]
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