Falkland Islands Once Hosted Lush Rainforest, Study Reveals

Researchers uncover prehistoric tree remains, dating back up to 30 million years, in the South Atlantic archipelago.

A team led by Dr. Zoë Thomas from the University of Southampton discovered ancient rainforest remains in the Falkland Islands.
The findings were made at a construction site in Stanley, where well-preserved tree trunks and branches were unearthed.
Laboratory analysis in Australia dated the remains to between 15 and 30 million years old, using pollen spores.
The Falklands' climate was once much warmer and wetter, supporting a diverse rainforest ecosystem.
Climate changes likely led to the extinction of the rainforest, transforming the landscape into the treeless, windy terrain seen today.