Discoveries by a researcher from the University of Southampton (UK) have unveiled a fascinating history hidden beneath the rugged, treeless terrain of the Falkland Islands. Evidence suggests that this grassy landscape was once teeming with a diverse, lush rainforest around 30 million years ago.
Dr. Zoë Thomas, along with an international team of scientists, conducted a study that sheds light on the ancient past of this South Atlantic archipelago. Their findings indicate that what is now barren land was once covered in cool, wet woodlands reminiscent of today’s rainforests in Tierra del Fuego.
The intriguing results of this research have been recently published in the journal Antarctic Science.
The journey to uncover these secrets began with whispers within the close-knit community of Port Stanley, where talks about buried remnants of an ancient forest piqued curiosity. In early 2020, chance conversations led to the discovery of remarkably preserved prehistoric tree remains and pollen at a construction site.
“While conducting research for another project in the Falklands, we stumbled upon information shared by locals about intriguing findings unearthed by builders,” explains Dr. Thomas, an expert in physical geography at the University of Southampton.
She elaborates on their remarkable find: “Excavations at a new care home site revealed deep layers filled with well-preserved tree trunks and branches that appeared as if they had been buried just yesterday despite their age.”
2024-09-18 19:15:02
Source from phys.org