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MIS

n. C / U
C2 Proficiency US //ˈmɪs// mis

n. Stands for Marine Isotope Stage. A way to measure time in the past by looking at changes in the Earth's climate. Scientists use these stages to talk about when ice covered the world and when it was warmer.

n. Abbreviation for Marine Isotope Stage. A specific period in the Earth's geological history defined by oxygen isotope data from deep-sea core samples, reflecting alternating glacial and interglacial climates. Often used in archaeology and paleoclimatology to provide a chronological framework for the Quaternary period.


SIMPLE

The fossil dates back to MIS 5, a warm period.

CONTEXTUAL

Archaeologists use MIS data to understand how early human migration patterns were influenced by shifting global temperatures.

COMPLEX

The transition from MIS 2 to MIS 1 represents the end of the last glacial maximum and the beginning of our current warmer epoch.

Synonyms
Usage

Often followed by a specific number (e.g., 'MIS 11') to identify a particular climatic stage.

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