Founders Day 2012
Geology at the end of the Earth: exploring Antarctica's green history
When Scott went to Antarctica to claim the South Pole 100 years ago, science, as well as adventure, was on the agenda. One of Scott's objectives, prompted by palaeobotanist Dr Marie Stopes, was to hunt for fossil leaves of Glossopteris to support new notions of continental drift. The fossils they discovered were brought back from Antarctica, even though the polar party themselves did not return home. The talk will be about the polar party's discoveries of Permian fossil plants in the Beardmore region in the Transantarctic Mountains and more recent discoveries of fossil plants that have helped us paint a picture of life on land in past warm climates when Antarctica was green.
Speaker
Professor Jane Francis, University of Leeds
Further Information
The event also featured Dr Rory Mortimore as the after dinner speaker.