56 million years ago, Earth underwent rapid global warming. Here’s what it did to pollinators

An illustration of a hot, orange looking Earth floating in the darkness of space.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Pollinators play a vital role in fertilizing flowers, which grow into seeds and fruits and underpin our agriculture. But climate change can cause a mismatch between plants and their pollinators, affecting where they live and what time of year they're active. This has happened before.