15 million years ago, Antarctica was much warmer

According to the findings of American researchers, about 15-20 million years ago (Miocene period) the climate of Antarctica looked like something modern and Iceland was more humid and warm. An article about the study, researchers published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Recall that the Miocene climate warming in the Antarctic began 20 million years ago and lasted about 5 million years. During this period, according to scientists, the average summer temperature in Antarctica above the present 11 degrees Celsius and was 7 degrees. As for the rain, they were more abundant.

Over 5 million years Miocene warming of the Antarctic ice sheet decreased and at the edges of the continent there were areas with vegetation as, according to scientists, shows the analysis of pollen grains that were discovered during the drilling of marine sediments. The most abundant vegetation was observed between 15 and 16, 7, 4 million years ago (the period of greatest warming). According to experts, in those days in Antarctica and trees grew, currently encountered in other regions of the Southern Hemisphere.

Scientists note that the vegetation in Antarctica resembled something modern tundra, and cold-resistant plants quickly "conquered" territory free of ice.