When Antarctica was Green
Although the Polar Regions are now covered in ice and snow, life was very different in Antarctica millions of years ago and when Antarctica was green. Fossil plants (fossil leaves, wood, pollen, seeds and flowers) preserved in rocks from Antarctica show that the continent was once covered in forests that flourished in warm humid climates, even though the continent was situated over the South Pole.
Prof Dame Jane Francis is an expert on ancient climates and fossil plants from the Arctic and Antarctica used to decipher polar climates of the past. Her talk will show some of the spectacular fossils found in Antarctica and includes reconstructions of the ancient forests that once grew near the South Pole. In her role as the Director of British Antarctic Survey, she will also explain why the Polar Regions are so important and how research on the continents affects us all.
Presented by Dame Jane Francis.