Is Antarctica's icy exterior hiding a lush, prehistoric paradise? Scientists uncover shocking evidence!

Antarctica, now known for its frozen desolation, once teemed with rivers, forests, and possibly wildlife between 14 million and 34 million years ago, according to a new study published in Nature Communications.

Researchers from Durham University in England have uncovered a vast ancient landscape buried beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. Using satellite imagery and ice-penetrating radar, they revealed a terrain once shaped by flowing rivers, deep valleys, and rolling ridges—features long hidden under kilometers of ice.

The discovery site lies in Wilkes Land, East Antarctica, a region roughly the size of Maryland or Belgium. According to the researchers, the area preserves a “lost world,” likely untouched for tens of millions of years.

“It’s difficult to say exactly what this ancient landscape looked like, but depending on how far back you go, the climate might have resembled modern-day Patagonia, or even something tropical,” said Professor Stewart Jamieson, a co-author of the study.

The team even discovered traces of ancient palm tree pollen near the site, adding weight to the theory that the region once supported lush, temperate—or even tropical—vegetation.

Before becoming a frozen wasteland, Antarctica was part of the Gondwana supercontinent, which also included present-day South America, Australia, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and the Arabian Peninsula. Scientists believe its terrain once resembled those regions before it was buried under ice.

As the Earth’s climate cooled significantly, glaciers grew and eventually merged into a massive ice sheet that covered the continent. This ice sheet preserved the ancient landscape beneath it by shielding it from erosion.

“When the ice sheet expanded, the base of the ice became extremely cold, stopping erosion and effectively freezing the landscape in time—possibly for as long as 34 million years,” Jamieson explained.

The fossil record remains incomplete, so it's still unclear what kinds of animals may have inhabited the region. However, researchers believe that drilling beneath the ice—similar to projects carried out in Greenland—could help uncover more clues.

This groundbreaking discovery offers new insights into Earth’s prehistoric climate and Antarctica’s transformation from a verdant landscape to the icy expanse we know today.