A research team has unearthed an unprecedented find that shows what Antarctica was like further back in time than ever - and it was a swampy, humid rainforest. They also turned up fossilized roots and chemical evidence of a diverse forest. Some 250 million years ago, during the late Permian and early Triassic, the world was a greenhouse, much hotter than it is today. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. NY 10036. In buried sediment there, they found ancient pollen. Antarctica Was Once Covered in Forests. One … In 100 million AD, Antarctica moves up to the Equator and gains lush rainforests, just like how it had forests millions of years before the Quaternary, in The Future is Wild. By Mary Beth Griggs. ", First published on April 3, 2020 / 4:50 PM. Additionally, the new findings suggest that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were higher during that time period than scientists had previously thought, as were global temperatures. However, the world was warmer back then, in part, because the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere was high — even higher than previously thought, according to the analysis of the sediment core, the researchers said. In the meantime, the discovery has … Following a CT-scan, researchers said the soil was so well-preserved that it still contained traces of pollen, spores and remnants of flowering plants. Five New Fossil Forests Found in Antarctica Hundreds of millions of years ago, Antarctica was carpeted with prehistoric greenery. Researchers said that these conditions would only be possible with dense vegetation and a lack of major ice sheets in the region. Geologist Molly Miller of Vanderbilt University discovered, in the Beardmore Glacier area of Antarctica, the remains of three ancient deciduous forests complete with fossils of fallen leafs scattered around the petrified tree stumps These trees are alive today but only grow in warm moist areas such as Queensland Antarctic also harbor’s bones of extinct marsupials and Dinosaurs with massive coal beds … Laura Geggel - Associate Editor "It was particularly fascinating to see the well-preserved diverse fossil pollen and other plant remains in a sediment deposited some 90 million years ago, near the South Pole," co-author Professor Ulrich Salzmann, a paleoecologist at Northumbria University, said in the press release. Vacations aren’t really a thing right now with a pandemic terrorizing the planet, but if you were to plan a getaway, the last place you’d probably think of is Antarctica. The layer that had formed about 90 million years ago was a different color. Sea-surface temperatures in the tropics were as hot as 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius). I find this to be absolutely fascinating. Once upon a time, a rainforest grew near the bottom of the world. mi writes: Researchers have discovered evidence that Antarctica supported a swampy rainforest as "recently" as 90 million years ago, according to a new study. (CNN) -- When dinosaurs roamed the Earth 90 million years ago, the planet was much warmer, including Antarctica at the South Pole. Today, Antarctica is composed of around ninety-eight percent ice which is over a kilometer thick. After studying the soil, researchers found evidence of heavy rain, an annual average air temperature of about 54 degrees Fahrenheit and an average summer temperature of 66 degrees Fahrenheit. Antarctica was not always so cold and remote. © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. History. By analyzing the pollen and spores, study co-researcher Ulrich Salzmann, a paleoecologist at Northumbria University in England, was able to reconstruct West Antarctica's 90 million-year-old vegetation and climate. Tropical rainforest, also spelled tropical rain forest, luxuriant forest found in wet tropical uplands and lowlands around the Equator.Tropical rainforests, which worldwide make up one of Earth’s largest biomes (major life zones), are dominated by broad-leaved trees that form a dense upper canopy (layer of foliage) and contain a diverse array of vegetation and other life. Browse the issue here: https://t.co/vNBvWAHRvH pic.twitter.com/M9s6T1LTkF. When the researchers found the core, they were immediately shocked by its appearance. Fossilized Tropical Forests Found In Arctic . Fossil traces of an ancient rainforest were just unearthed in West Antarctica. (2020, April 1). Moreover, it shows how important the cooling effects of today's ice sheets are, the researchers said. These findings show how potent greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide can cause temperatures to skyrocket, so much so that today's freezing West Antarctica once hosted a rainforest. Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. A group of researchers found evidence that approximately 90 million years ago, Antarctica was home to an ancient, swampy rainforest full of diverse animal and plant life. Antarctic Tropical Rainforest The northern part of Antarctica is covered in lush tropical rainforest, which is home to many new species of plants, insects and birds. The possibilities as to why the climate shifted in such a dramatic way are countless. Summer temperatures were warmer, with an average of 66 F (19 C). These temperatures are impressively warm, given that Antarctica had a four-month polar night, meaning that a third of every year had no life-giving sunlight. The rainforest's remains were discovered under the ice in a sediment core that a team of international researchers collected from a seabed near Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica in 2017. So this would be a good chance for us to discover interesting aspects of the past of this territory. Imperial College London. Live Updates: Senate votes in second impeachment trial, Oxford University starts COVID-19 vaccine trial in children, Polar vortex brings most extreme winter weather in years, U.K. hit with biggest economic decline in more than 300 years, Stimulus bill would boost incomes of poorest Americans by $4,000, Myanmar protests enter 2nd week, with neither side backing down, "Jeopardy!" Artist's reconstruction of the West Antarctic Turonian–Santonian temperate rainforest. Related: In photos: Fossil forest unearthed in the Arctic. Today, no true land animals live there, and only lichens, algae and stunted grasses grow where formerly vertebrate animals roamed through dense forests. Forests carpeted a non-icy Antarctic. The world was a different place back then. According to co-author and AWI climate modeler Dr. Gerrit Lohmann, in all of their climate simulations, researchers were "unable to find a satisfactory answer. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. DENVER — Strange forests with some features of today's tropical trees once grew in Antarctica, new research finds. Researchers have discovered evidence that Antarctica had a swampy rainforest 90,000 years ago thanks to sediment cores filled with pristine soil … Visit our corporate site. So imagine, if, in the distant past, ancient people inhabited Antarctica when it was covered with vegetation and forests, all of their “heritage” is now buried under a thick layer of ice. Thomas Mörs, a paleontologist living on Seymour Island in Northwestern Antarctica, was observing fossils that his team had excavated between 2011 and 2013 under joint expeditions with Argentinian and Swedish scientists. In addition, the rainfall back then was comparable to the rainfall of Wales, England, today, the researchers found. Please refresh the page and try again. The temperatures of rivers and swamps reached up to 68 degrees Fahrenheit — even though the region experienced no sunlight for one-third of the year. Antarctica Was Once Home To Rainforest, Say Scientists Scientists drilling off the coast of Antarctica made a startling discovery recently that could hold clues to the Earth’s future — especially if climate change keeps warming the planet. There was a problem. Paleo-ecologist and study co-author – Professor Ulrich Salzmann of Northumbria University said “the numerous plant remains indicate that 93 to 83 million years ago the coast of West Antarctica was a swampy landscape in which temperate rainforests grew – similar to the forests that can still be found, say, on New Zealand’s South Island.” When doing so, he found evidence of tropical life deep within the tundra soil: hip and skull bones of a frog. Evidence for a temperate rainforest near the South Pole 90 million years ago. With impressive cutaway illustrations that show how things function, and mindblowing photography of the world’s most inspiring spectacles, How It Works represents the pinnacle of engaging, factual fun for a mainstream audience keen to keep up with the latest tech and the most impressive phenomena on the planet and beyond. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. Traces of ancient rainforest in Antarctica point to a warmer prehistoric world. Vincent van Zeijst/CC BY-SA 3.0. It's a jungle out there. "During the initial shipboard assessments, the unusual coloration of the sediment layer quickly caught our attention. The evidence for the Antarctic forest comes from a core of sediment drilled into the seabed near the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers in West Antarctica. The dirt also revealed ancient pollen, spores and the remnants of flowering plants from the Cretaceous period. We Just Found One That Fossilized. An illustration of the temperate rainforest that thrived in West Antarctica about 90 million years ago, when dinosaurs still walked the Earth. Sophie Lewis is a social media producer and trending writer for CBS News, focusing on space and climate change. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, Reality Check...Antarctica was closer to the Equator (surprise it was Warmer??). An expert in fossil forests, she is a co-author of the Nature paper and also helped find a 45-million-year-old mummified forest on Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian Arctic in 1986. About 90 million years ago, West Antarctica was home to a thriving temperate rainforest, according to fossil roots, pollen and spores recently discovered there, a new study finds. champion Brayden Smith has died at 24, Astronomers discover trio of young planets orbiting a teenage sun, Lincoln Project co-founder resigns from board amid scandals, Democrats show new video of Capitol attack at Trump trial, "Overwhelmingly distressing": Senators react to January 6 video, New footage shows Officer Goodman directing Romney to safety, Meet the legal team defending Trump in his impeachment trial, Georgia prosecutor investigating Trump's "attempts to influence" election, Raskin makes emotional argument at Trump impeachment trial, Antarctica’s ecosystem hit by climate change. But tropical palm trees once flourished there. Even intact individual cell structures could be observed. They were surprised … 02 April 2020. Tropical sea temperatures were thought to be as high as 95 degrees Fahrenheit, but little was known about conditions near the South Pole. The roots of these coniferous trees are still attached to the carbonaceous soil deposits today. During the cretaceous period, when dinosaurs dominated the planet, global temperatures were much higher than they are today, as were sea levels. One big question remains: If Antarctica used to be so warm, what caused it to dramatically cool, allowing the formation of ice sheets? Today, Antarctica is composed of around ninety-eight percent ice which is over a kilometer thick. It clearly differed from the layers above it," lead author Dr. Johann Klages, a geologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Germany, said in a press release. But in a surprising twist, … A group of researchers found evidence that approximately 90 million years ago, Antarctica was home to an ancient, swampy rainforest full of diverse animal and plant life. View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMr-5HHnAmU, Whale that stranded off Florida is completely new species (and already endangered), 18 dead and hundreds missing in catastrophic Himalayan avalanche, SpaceX's Crew-1 astronauts break 47-year US space record, Stressful animation shows blue whale dodging hundreds of ships while trying to feed, Asteroid the size of the Golden Gate Bridge will whiz past Earth in March, 'Rivers of gold' rush through the Peruvian Amazon in stunning NASA photo. The group discovered a surprisingly well-preserved network of roots in a sediment core collected near Pine Island Glacier. (Image: © J. McKay/Alfred-Wegener-Institut; Creative Commons licence CC-BY 4.0). Scientists have discovered remnants of a swampy temperate rainforest that thrived in Antarctica about 90 million years ago. Antarctica has yielded implications about global warming that are chilling. This might well account for how the forests of Antarctica were able to survive during extended periods of darkness. This week on the Nature cover: Polar opposite. This scorching climate allowed a rainforest — similar to those seen in New Zealand today — to take root in Antarctica, the researchers said. In rivers and swamps, the water would have reached up to 68 F (20 C). These woods flourished less than a thousand kilometers from the South Pole. New York, The study was published online yesterday (April 1) in the journal Nature. Copyright © 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Now, scientists may … Written and presented in a style that makes even the most complex subjects interesting and easy to understand, How It Works is enjoyed by readers of all ages.View Deal. You will receive a verification email shortly. Annual rings in fossil wood reveal Antarctica’s subtropical past However, other fossils show that truly subtropical forests existed on Antarctica during even earlier times. Geologist Molly Miller of Vanderbilt University discovered, in the Beardmore Glacier area of Antarctica, the remains of three ancient deciduous forests complete with fossils of fallen leafs scattered around the petrified tree stumps “These were not scrubby little things,” Miller said. "But in our model-based experiments, it took concentration levels of 1,120 to 1,680 ppm to reach the average temperatures back then in the Antarctic.". It is really important to keep investigating since in ancient times Antarctica was a tropical area covered by forest and featured a diverse fauna. This … However contradictory tropical Antarctica may seem, a greater challenge to the imagination would be a look at the Sahara Desert about 500 million years ago. As soon as the team saw the core, they knew they had something unusual. Today the frozen Antarctic ice sheet borders the Southern Ocean. "The numerous plant remains indicate that the coast of West Antarctica was, back then, a dense temperate, swampy forest, similar to the forests found in New Zealand today," Salzmann said in the statement. Millions of years ago, Antarctica was warmer and wetter, and supported the Antarctic flora, including forests of podocarps and southern beech.Antarctica was also part of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwanaland, which gradually broke up by continental drift starting 110 million years ago. "Before our study, the general assumption was that the global carbon dioxide concentration in the Cretaceous was roughly 1000 ppm. The resulting digital image showed a dense network of roots throughout the entire soil layer. © Clear evidence that the climate of that time period is the Earths natural climate, and that we're still in an ice age now. Pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccines: What you need to know, The factory that's racing to make Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, Polar vortex to unleash frigid Arctic blast, California Privacy/Information We Collect. November 19, 2015 During the middle of the Cretaceous period (145 million to 65 million years ago), dinosaurs roamed Earth and sea levels were 558 feet (170 meters) higher than they are today. By So imagine, if in the distant past, ancient people inhabited Antarctica when it was covered with vegetation and forests, all of their “heritage” is now buried under a thick layer of ice. "Before our study, the general assumption was that the global carbon dioxide concentration in the Cretaceous was roughly 1,000 ppm [parts per million]," study co-researcher Gerrit Lohmann, a climate modeler at Alfred Wegener Institute, said in the statement. The rainforest's remains were discovered under the ice in a sediment core that a team of international researchers collected from a seabed near Pine Island Glacier in … Salzmann said the plant remains suggest that the coast of West Antarctica once contained a dense, swampy rainforest with many conifers and tree ferns. An operator on the "Polarstern" ship drives the MeBo seabed drilling system using remote technology. Antarctic coniferous trees In a small part of Alexander Island, on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, ancient fossil trees that date back 100 million years can be found, with logs up to seven metres high (23 feet) still found standing upright. A kilometre under the seabed at Wilkes Land in east Antarctica, they found sediments containing the pollen of plants that only thrive in the tropics … The South Pole is surrounded by a harsh, frozen landscape of year-round ice and snow — but it hasn't always been this way, according to new research published Wednesday in the journal Nature. Back at the lab, the team put the core into a CT (computed tomography) scanner. LiveScience LiveScience DENVER — Strange forests with some features of today’s tropical trees once grew in Antarctica, new research finds. "It clearly differed from the layers above it," study lead researcher Johann Klages, a geologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven, Germany, said in a statement. The sediment core revealed that during the mid-Cretaceous, West Antarctica had a mild climate, with an annual mean air temperature of about 54 F (12 C), similar to that of Seattle. An intense warming phase occurred 52 … Some 250 million years ago, during the … But in our model-based experiments, it took concentration levels of 1120 to 1680 ppm to reach the average temperatures back then in the Antarctic," said co-author Professor Gerrit Lohmann, from Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute. Antarctica was once covered in forests instead of ice. OFFER: Save at least 53% with our latest magazine deal! ScienceDaily. To find remnants of it, researchers explored the seafloor near Antarctica. He compared the ancient forest, which existed during the warmest period of the last 140 million years, to ones found in New Zealand today.