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A subpolar plankton species found in the Atlantic water expanded far into the Arctic Ocean during the Last Interglacial, indicating that summers in the Arctic were ice-free during this period. Published in Nature Geoscience, this research analysed the microfossil content of sediment cores to determine the extent of sea ice present during the Last Interglacial, a recent period of the Earth's geological history characterised by a climate warmer than today. The Arctic sea ice, an important component of the Earth system, is disappearing fast due to climate warming, whereas the summer sea ice is anticipated to vanish entirely within this century. To gain a deeper understanding of the climate dynamics in a world without the Arctic sea ice, researchers have turned to analogues from our geological past. However, the extent of sea ice during this period has been intensely debated and there is no consensus, limiting understanding of this period and the ability of researchers to simulate it i