Antarctica is a vast and fascinating continent at the bottom of the world. It has been home to humans for centuries, but science researchers are only now starting to uncover the secrets of the icy land. In the past decade, several incredible discoveries have been made in Antarctica, giving us insight into how the continent’s environment has changed over the millennia and giving us glimpses of furry, ancient creatures that lived there millions of years ago. Here are some of the most amazing discoveries made in Antarctica in recent years that you should know about.
The Mysterious Lakes Under The Ice
One of the most amazing discoveries in Antarctica in recent years are three large lake systems lurking beneath the ice. Radar data from 2013 revealed the presence of these lakes sprawling under the polar icesheet in Dronning Maud Land – an area of Antarctica containing the fifth-largest ice mass on Earth. The lakes are about the same size as the Great Lakes in North America and the discovery has given scientists an exciting new area for research.
Two of the lakes, called Lake Mercer and Lake Showalter, are hidden beneath more than 4,000 feet of ice. It is thought these lakes haven’t been exposed to the air for 20 million years, meaning they could contain strange and ancient forms of life, unseen anywhere else on Earth. Lake Mercer was also found to contain some form of salty water, a huge surprise given how far away it is from any ocean.
The Discovery of Ancient Furry Penguins
In 2011, scientists made a remarkable discovery in the Transantarctic Mountains when they discovered the fossilized remains of a 39 million-year-old sea bird, the oldest ever found. What’s so remarkable about this discovery is the fact that the bird has feathers, giving the researchers a glimpse of the ancient aquatic birds that used to inhabit the southern continents millions of years ago.
But that’s not all. Researchers have also discovered other fossils in Antarctica, including the remains of an ancient, furry penguin that lived some 37 million years ago. Named Kumimanu biceae, this long extinct species was twice the size of today’s emperor penguin and had thick fur covering its entire body. Other ancient penguin species have been discovered in Antarctica, including one from some 23 million years ago that is nearly the size of today’s emperor penguins.
Fossilized Trees and Vegetation
Surprisingly, several fossilized trees and vegetation have been discovered on Antarctica’s frozen shores, including the remains of an ancient, leafy forest found on James Ross Island in 2016. The leaves were so well-preserved they still showed anatomical features, and they were dated as being some 28 million years old. This is evidence that at one time, much of Antarctica was covered with lush forests.
Moreover, the frozen continent wasn’t always the icy, barren land we know today. Research from 2013 suggests that at least some parts of Antarctica were significantly warmer, and much more humid, than they are today. This warmer period likely took place for about 110,000 years about 34 million years ago, and it could have been the perfect environment for lush vegetation and animals, similar to the forests now found in New Zealand and Chile.
Uncovering Ancient Human Habitation
In 2017, researchers discovered the remains of ancient human activities on Vega Island. Artifacts discovered include stonework and charcoal, which suggests humans lived there almost 3,000 years ago. Vega Island is home to a range of archaeological sites and reveals the presence of humans on the remote continent thousands of years ago.
What’s even more remarkable is that the researchers discovered that the ancient inhabitants of Vega Island were in fact part of a wide-ranging maritime culture, who somehow managed to make the vast maritime crossings without the modern navigational instruments we use today. The artifacts discovered in Vega Island have given the scientific community a glimpse into the lives of the ancient people who inhabited the icy continent long ago.
Evidence of Climate Change
Climate change is a hot topic in politics and news cycles, and recent discoveries in Antarctica have further shed some light on the impact of human activities on melting polar ice caps. Scientists have discovered that the massive meltwater lakes that sit underneath the Antarctic ice are not a modern phenomenon, but have in fact been around for decades.
The lake systems have been around since the 1940s and possibly even longer, but the rapid melting of the polar ice caps in recent years has made them more visible. This discovery gives us further evidence of how much human activity has caused the polar ice caps to rapidly melt and how fast the environment can change.
The Future of Antarctica
These are just some of the amazing discoveries that have been made in Antarctica in recent years. Going forward, scientists will be able to use the knowledge gained from these discoveries to understand more about Antarctica’s environment and how it is changing. It stands to reason that further discoveries are waiting to be uncovered, and with continuing advances in technology, Antarctica’s secrets are closer than ever to being revealed.
