Earth's surface still bouncing back from the Ice Age, thousands of years later

Sunday, March 29, 2015, 4:12 PM - After the weather seen across the northern hemisphere this past winter season, it's easy to imagine that the Earth would need some time to recuperate from such harsh conditions.

It turns out, the planet has been rebounding from an era of global ice and cold for several thousands of years.

Over ten thousand years ago, the Ice Age saw glaciers carve the shape of landscapes across Canada, the United States and parts of Europe.

Massive ice sheets covered these areas for extended periods of time, pushing down on the planet's surface.

Once the ice began to melt and retreat, the absence of pressure bearing down on the Earth has caused it to literally bounce back.

At a very, very slow pace.

The Earth's surface rises about 1 millimetre every month in Canada, according to Theresa Damiani, research geologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

NOAA compares this rebound process, known as post-glacial rebound, to pushing down on a mattress. After the weight is removed, the mattress returns to its original shape, quickly at first, but slower over time.

In some areas, it may appear that water levels are dropping, while in fact, it's the land slowly but surely springing back up.

RELATED: Greenland's contribution to rising sea levels confirmed

When it comes to measuring changing sea levels, the rebound rates are taken into account as well.

These rates are also considered when measuring the movement of the Earth's crust, the planet's gravitational field and earthquakes.

Conversely, regions at the edge of ice fields show the ground sinking over time.

Source: Bloomberg Business

WATCH BELOW: NASA shows us the changing Earth