This study reconstructs temperatures in the Swiss Alps during the Last Interglacial period (LIG, ~129,000–116,000 years ago) using hydrogen isotopes from fluid inclusions in precisely dated speleothems. The findings reveal temperatures up to 4.3 °C warmer than the 1971–1990 reference period, with climate instability, including an abrupt cooling event around 125,500 years ago. Higher-elevation areas show greater susceptibility to warming, suggesting potential implications for future climate scenarios.

Paul S. Wilcox, Charlotte Honiat, Martin Trüssel, R. Lawrence Edwards, Christoph Spötl