what do the glossopteris fossils tell us about the early positions of the continents

1 year ago 72
Nature

The discovery of Glossopteris fossils tells us that the continents were once connected in a supercontinent called Pangaea. Glossopteris is a genus of seed fern that flourished in Gondwana, which is now the present-day continents of South America, Australia, Africa, and Antarctica. The presence of Glossopteris fossils in Antarctica suggests that the continent was once part of a larger landmass, as the climate in Antarctica would not have been suitable for the growth of these plants if it had always been isolated by the ocean. Therefore, the distribution of Glossopteris fossils across different continents provides evidence for the theory of continental drift, which suggests that the continents were once joined together and have since moved apart over time.