Anatomy of a cold stage: examining the structure of Pleistocene glacial cycles
Discover how orbital rhythms and internal climate forces shaped Pleistocene cold stages, revealing the unique structure of glacial cycles and the challenges of defining the
Anatomy of a cold stage: examining the structure of Pleistocene glacial cycles
27 Nov 2025, 13:00 – 14:00
Join us for this week’s Palaeoclimate Seminar with Professor Phil Hughes, who will examine how orbital pacing and internal climate dynamics shaped Pleistocene cold stages. His talk unpacks the structure of glacial cycles and challenges how we define and correlate these complex episodes in Earth’s recent past.
This talk explores the structure and complexity of Pleistocene cold stages, examining how orbital pacing interacts with internal climate drivers to shape each glacial cycle. By reassessing stratigraphical records and the assumptions underpinning classic 100-ka cycles, the seminar highlights why no two glacial cycles are truly alike and why defining and correlating cold-stage events requires careful, cycle-specific interpretation.
Professor Phil Hughes is Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on Pleistocene glacial history, Quaternary stratigraphy, and palaeoclimate reconstruction across the Mediterranean, Balkans, and British Isles. He has led NERC-funded projects on glacier–climate interactions, contributed to advances in geomorphology, and serves on multiple journal editorial boards. Professor Hughes is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and an experienced international peer reviewer.
"Whilst orbital forces help pace climate change, the most important drivers of Quaternary glacial cycles are largely internal, making each cold stage unique and requiring careful stratigraphical definition."
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See all seminarsExpert in Pleistocene glacial history, Quaternary stratigraphy, and the dynamics of cold-stage climate and glacier–climate interactions.
UCL Palaeoclimate Seminar Series – weekly on Thursdays, 1–2pm, NWW G07
This seminar is part of the UCL Palaeoclimate Seminar Series, held every Thursday during term time from 1–2 pm, usually in North West Wing Room G07. The series features leading scholars exploring diverse topics across palaeoclimate research. All staff, students, and visitors are welcome to attend.
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