55-million-year-old penguin fossils reveal chemical clues about Antarctica before freezing

55-million-year-old penguin fossils reveal chemical clues about Antarctica before freezing

Ancient penguin remains discovered on Seymour Island are shedding light on the climatic transformations of Antarctica. Researchers employed micro-XRF scanning to analyze the chemical makeup of these fossils. High levels of titanium suggest significant weathering during the warmer Eocene epoch, while more recent fossils display diminished titanium readings, reflecting the continent's cooling trend. These bones act as an invaluable record of environmental shifts across millennia.

By TOI Science Desk