The interest in our failing planet by the New York Times is admirable, but, I need to add something.

The fast-retreating Sheldon Glacier in Antarctica. A collapse of a polar ice sheet could result in a jump in sea level. 

If I may?

...The paper, published July 28 in Nature Geoscience, focuses on a warm period in the earth’s history that preceded the most recent ice age. In that epoch, sometimes called the Eemian, the planetary temperature was similar to levels we may see in coming decades as a result of human emissions, so it is considered a possible indicator of things to come...

The glacial melting that occurred during the Eemian produced a sea known as the Eemian Sea.

This is a very good illustration of what the Eemian Sea looked like.

Kindly note Europe. Norway, Sweden and Finland are separated from the mainland. Europe loses a great deal of coast line.

One has to keep in mind currently much of Europe is underwater, BUT, man made structures are preventing same.

I believe the 'time line' the New York Times is looking for is further along than they might estimate. The real measure is how much of the the land mass connecting Scandinavia to the mainland is burgeoning on flooding.

One other thing. One has to remember this is ABRUPT climate change. It is happening very fast. 

This is occurring in less than ONE HUNDRED YEARS. That is a blink of the eye in the history of Earth.

Changes of sea surface salinity (colors) and sea ice transport (arrows) after the Eemian interglacial. Increased export of Arctic sea ice along the east coast of Greenland reduces salinities in the North Atlantic. One consequence is a major reorganization of the surface current system.

It was after the Eemian that the salinity of the oceans changed and altered the ocean currents.

Paleoclimate is interesting, but, never before in the very long history of Earth has there been this many people on Earth. Why would people be a concern more so than dinosaurs? Because dinosaurs never perpetrated greenhouse gas emissions. Dinosaurs never burnt coal, oil or natural gas. They never drove cars and caused their own warming of Earth.

To seek comfort in understanding the Climate Crisis based on the past is surrendering and not carrying the torch of change to preserve a future for our children. This is a unique dynamic of Earth, there is no prediction that can be made from the past.

The Sixth Extinction is real. Every extinction on Earth has been different. It is that reality I cling to.