Antarctica is a place of extremes. Its icy landscapes often hold secrets that challenge what we know about Earth’s history.
Recently, scientists made a discovery there that could reshape our understanding of the planet’s past.
Hidden beneath almost a kilometer of sediment in the Amundsen Sea, researchers uncovered amber, fossilized tree resin, dating back 90 million years, according to Panorama.
This find is extraordinary. Amber isn’t something you’d expect to see in the frozen wilderness of Antarctica.
Yet, the discovery, made by a team from Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) during an expedition aboard the research vessel Polarstern, paints a picture of a vastly different continent.
At the time this amber formed, Antarctica had a temperate climate, warm enough to support resin-producing trees.
Antarctica is a place of extremes. Its icy landscapes often hold secrets that challenge what we know about Earth’s history.
Recently, scientists made a discovery there that could reshape our understanding of the planet’s past.
Hidden beneath almost a kilometer of sediment in the Amundsen Sea, researchers uncovered amber, fossilized tree resin, dating back 90 million years.
This find is extraordinary. Amber isn’t something you’d expect to see in the frozen wilderness of Antarctica.
Yet, the discovery, made by a team from Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) during an expedition aboard the research vessel Polarstern, paints a picture of a vastly different continent.
At the time this amber formed, Antarctica had a temperate climate, warm enough to support resin-producing trees.
Johann P. Klages, a marine geologist with AWI, explained the significance. “This amber gives us a direct look at the environment of West Antarctica millions of years ago,” he said. During the mid-Cretaceous period, conditions there resembled those of modern temperate forests. All seven continents, at some point, had climates that could sustain such ecosystems.
The amber itself has already offered intriguing clues. Chemical analysis shows it shares traits with amber found in South America and Australia. This supports the idea that these continents were once connected as part of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. The fragments might even contain microscopic inclusions like pollen, offering further insights into prehistoric ecosystems.
But the discovery isn’t just about the distant past. Scientists say it also reveals how sensitive polar regions are to changing CO₂ levels. The high greenhouse gas concentrations of the Cretaceous caused extreme warmth, even in Antarctica. “Understanding these ancient conditions helps us prepare for what rising CO₂ could mean for our future,” Klages noted.
Antarctica has been a focus of climate research for years, with melting glaciers and heatwaves raising global alarms.
