The Younger Dryas is named after the alpine–tundra wildflower Dryas octopetala, because its fossils are abundant in the European (particularly 展开

The Younger Dryas was initially discovered around the start of the 20th century, through paleobotanical and lithostratigraphic studies of 展开

The 2004 film, The Day After Tomorrow depicts catastrophic climatic effects following the disruption of the North Atlantic Ocean circulation that … 展开

• 8.2 kiloyear climate event – Rapid global cooling around 8,200 years ago
• Blytt–Sernander system – Series of north European climatic periods
• Heinrich event – Large groups of icebergs traverse the North Atlantic. 展开

As with the other geologic periods, paleoclimate during the Younger Dryas is reconstructed through proxy data such as traces of pollen, ice cores and layers of marine and lake 展开

The scientific consensus links the Younger Dryas with a significant reduction or shutdown of the thermohaline circulation, which circulates warm tropical waters northward through the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). This is consistent with 展开

• "Study confirms mechanism for current shutdowns, European cooling" (Press release). Oregon State University. 2007. Archived from the original on 17 December 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
• Broecker, W.S. (1999). "What If the Conveyor Were to Shut … 展开