Antarctic Forests Reveal Ancient Trees

Discovery Channel ^ | 11/5/04 | Larry O'Hanlon

[Dallas59]

Nov. 5, 2004 — A quarter-billion years ago, forested islands flashed with autumnal hues near the South Pole — a polar scene unlike any today, researchers say.

Geologists have discovered in Antarctica the remains of three ancient deciduous forests complete with fossils of fallen leafs scattered around the tree trunks. The clusters of petrified tree stumps were found upright in the original living positions they held during the Permian period.

[Dallas59]

Just FYI. If Glo-bull Warming comes true Antarctica will be a nice place to visit.

[coconutt2000]

Just imagine the beaches the glaciers will leave behind...

[Dallas59]

Maybe the libs will call dubs?

[aomagrat]

The clusters of petrified tree stumps were found upright in the original living positions they held during the Permian period.

Obviously victims of global cooling.

[ASA Vet]

A quarter-billion years ago, forested islands flashed with autumnal hues near the South Pole

They were not at the South Pole then.

[Red Badger]

Looks like a MAGNOLIA Y'all......

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Globul Warming will also put New York and Boston under water. As a matter of fact, it will flood the whole East Coast blue zone. Sings to self: "Look on the sunny side, always on the sunny side. Look on the sunny side of life . . . "

[PeterFinn]

So what did the environmetalists blame the catastrophic global cooling on? Did the dinosaurs have SUVs 260 million years ago?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I was going to say pecan...

[Doctor Stochastic]

Note that 250,000,000 years ago, the Antarctic continent wasn't located in a polar region. Best guess is that it was sub-tropical.

Continental Drift Animation

[Dallas59]

We have to do all we can to bring back the Forests of Antarctica.
After all, they were here before us.

[coconutt2000]

Can you imagine what would happen if the planet was cooling?


They'd be screaming, "Global Cooling! The Sky is Falling!"

Professional protesters suffer from some kind of genetic defect. I hope we can detect it and cure it.

[HamiltonJay]

What? Life went on even though the polar ice caps were smaller and the temperature of the earth was warmer? No way!

[squarebarb]

That's what I thought. Haven't the continents shifted since then?

And its 'leaves' not 'leafs'. On the Discovery Channel yet!

Who wrote this? What grade level? whoever did it should confess and take his/her forty lashes like an environmentalist.

[Junior]

...a polar scene unlike any today, researchers say.

Except that a quarter billion years ago, the region probably wasn't anywhere near the poles.

[NicknamedBob]

You all might be interested in this.

P.S. You don't have to read the whole thread.

[TASMANIANRED]

Unconquered uninhabited territory.

I say we invade and colonize. Establish a capitalist republic and exclude all liberals.

[coloradan]

And Los Angeles, and San Fransisco, and Baltimore and Washinton DC.

[gregwest]

Dinosaur flatulence! The original fossil fuel!

GW