Antarctica's ancient rainforest: 90‑million-year-old amber find

As reported by the portal ladbible.com, while Antarctica is associated with ice and snow, evidence suggests that the barren land was not always completely frozen. The latest evidence supporting this theory was presented by scientists from Germany, who found amber on the western side of the continent. They believe this is an important clue that will help them decode Antarctica's past.

It was very exciting to realise that, at some point in their history, all seven continents had climatic conditions allowing resin-producing trees to survive, said Johann Klages, head of research and marine geologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, as quoted by ladbible.com.

Researchers hope to learn more about the forest ecosystem that might have existed in Antarctica. The existence of amber on the continent also confirms that trees once grew on its surface. Scientists suspect that a swampy and temperate rainforest once existed there. This discovery allows for an even more direct journey into the past, added Klages.

Amber is not the only evidence that trees were present in Antarctica. Scientists have already found fossils of the continent's roots, pollen, and spores.

The estimated age of the amber, at 90 million years, means that trees likely grew in this area during the Cretaceous period. The Cretaceous is the last period of the Mesozoic era, lasting about 80 million years. It was a time when Earth was much warmer than it is now, with a very warm and humid climate prevailing across the entire planet. Antarctica was no exception.