"not unusual" is a little facetious, don't you think? Vinther was studying a drastic loss of polar ice in reaction to a historical (unexplained?) sudden rise in temperature, and raising an alarm in light of our current warming.

I was not trying to be facetious. I think that since we have seen two similar rises in temperature in the last 10,000 years, it is very likely they have occurred relatively frequently in the past 145m years. I do not see how what he is studying is relevant here.

I'm reminded of an old mentor's saying: One is an anomaly, two is a coincidence, three is a pattern. I'd be interested to know the causes and the effects of the temperature rise that makes you think this one is no big deal. There is a lot of evidence to indicate it's a very big deal.

I would love to know the causes and effects as well. Given evidence is still lacking, and this article is regarding a study that has only been done once, I would like to see follow up studies to see a pattern arise in OA effects on this species.