A new study of Antarctica's climate history shows that in some brief warm periods between ice ages, temperatures were up to 60°C warmer than the present day.

The findings, by a team of scientists, including some from Bristol, could help us understand more about rapid climate changes.

Until now temperatures during the warm periods between ice ages – known as interglacials – were thought to be slightly warmer than those of the present day.

However, some brief 'spikes' in temperature, which recur roughly every 100,000 years and last a few thousand years, seem to have been a lot warmer.

The scientists analysed Antarctic ice cores to look at climate during past warm periods and were surprised to find relatively high Antarctic temperatures during some spikes.

Julia Tindall, from Bristol University, said: "Although it is generally accepted that the climate was warmer 125,000 years ago, our results suggests it was much warmer than previously thought. It will be interesting to see if other studies agree with our findings."

Ice cores from east Antarctica contain the oldest drilled ice on Earth, and provide a unique record of past climate.

Ice core scientist Eric Wolff of the British Antarctic Survey, who is a world-leading expert on past climate, said: "During the last warm period, about 125,000 years ago, sea level was around five metres higher than today.

"If we can pin down how much warmer temperatures were in Antarctica and Greenland at this time, then we can test predictions of how melting of the large ice sheets will contribute to sea level rise."