last glacial maximum: Quick Facts

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Oct. 15, 2026

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Facts

Also Known As	LGM

Photos and Videos

Map showing the extent of the Laurentide, Cordilleran, and Greenland ice sheets during the Wisconsin glaciation, roughly 100,000 to 11,000 years ago. The Laurentide Ice Sheet covers most of present-day Canada and parts of the northern United States in light blue, the Cordilleran Ice Sheet covers the Pacific Northwest in teal, and the Greenland Ice Sheet is marked in purple. Modern international and state or provincial boundaries are outlined for reference.

Map highlighting the ancient landform of Beringia in orange, spanning the area between eastern Russia and Alaska across the Bering Strait, including parts of present-day Russia, Alaska, and submerged land in the Bering and Chukchi seas. Surrounding regions such as Canada, the Pacific Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean are labeled, with a locator inset showing Beringia's position in the Northern Hemisphere.

Map showing the Pleistocene-era regions of Sunda, Wallacea, and Sahul in Southeast Asia and Australasia. Sunda covers present-day Borneo, Malaysia, and western Indonesia; Sahul includes Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. The regions are separated by the Wallace, Weber, and Lydekker lines, which are marked in red, indicating biogeographical boundaries. Modern coastlines are outlined in blue.

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Pleistocene Epoch global cooling ice age Little Ice Age What Was the Little Ice Age?Heinrich event glacial stage How long was the Ice Age?

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