Tag Archives: rainforest

Prehistoric amber sheds light on ancient Amazon rainforest

Prehistoric amber sheds light on ancient Amazon rainforest

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists have discovered prehistoric insects preserved in amber for the first time in South America, providing a fresh glimpse into life on Earth at a time when flowering plants were just beginning to diversify and spread around the world. Many of the specimens found at a sandstone quarry in Ecuador date to 112 million years ago, said …

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Ancient rainforest accidentally discovered on a treeless island

Ancient rainforest accidentally discovered on a treeless island

The Falkland Islands are known today for cool winds, broad grasslands, and very few trees. That modern picture is accurate, but it is not the whole story. Pollen found beneath the capital shows these islands once supported a cool-temperate forest – wet, shaded, and biologically rich. The clue came from a dark, woody layer uncovered during construction in Stanley. It …

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