First-Ever Amber Discovered in Antarctica

Researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute and TU Bergakademie Freiberg have made a groundbreaking discovery: the first amber found in Antarctica, dating back approximately 90 million years, SciTech Daily Revealed yesterday.

This amber, named “Pine Island amber,” was extracted from sediment cores collected during a 2017 expedition with the research icebreaker Polarstern.

The findings, published in Antarctic Science, reveal that Antarctica’s climate once supported resin-producing trees, providing insights into the ancient forests near the South Pole. The amber fragments contain micro-inclusions of tree bark and indications of pathological resin flow, suggesting that trees used this resin to protect themselves from damage.

Dr. Johann P. Klages, the lead researcher, emphasized that this discovery enhances our understanding of the forest ecosystem and its environmental conditions during the mid-Cretaceous period. The team aims to investigate further the ecological dynamics of these ancient forests.