Monitor this situation.
Unsubscribe anytime.
[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [CULTURE]
2 clusters · 4 sources · 9 days · First seen · Last updated
Atacama Desert fossil discovery
Overview
Researchers have discovered a fossilized tooth in Chile’s Atacama Desert that suggests the region was once significantly wetter than its current state. The specimen, belonging to the extinct genus Cardiatherium—a direct ancestor of modern capybaras—was recovered from the Bahía Inglesa Formation at El Morro.
Dated to approximately 8.8 to 9 million years ago during the late Miocene epoch, the find challenges the long-held scientific assumption that the Atacama has remained continuously dry for roughly 40 million years. The presence of this capybara relative indicates that the coastal area once supported much more humid environments, such as wetlands and forests.
Entities
Atacama Desert · University of Arizona · Cardiatherium · Bahía Inglesa Formation · El Morro
Timeline
-
[CULTURE] 2 sourcesAtacama Desert fossil discovery challenges climate history
A 9-million-year-old capybara tooth found in Chile's Atacama Desert suggests the region was once a wet wetland rather than a continuous desert.
-
[CULTURE] 2 sourcesAtacama Desert fossil discovery suggests ancient humid conditions
A fossilized tooth from the extinct genus Cardiatherium suggests the Atacama Desert was once a much wetter environment approximately 8.8 million years ago.
Sources
europesays.com · lebardegandi.net · scitechdaily.com · thelocalreport.in