Drillers find ancient Antarctic forest evidence

Scientists drilling off the coast of West Antarctica have found the fossil remains of forests that grew in the region 90 million years ago - in the time of the dinosaurs.

Their analysis of the material indicates the continent back then would have been as warm as parts of Europe are today but that global sea levels would have been over 100m higher than at present.

The research, led from the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) in Germany, is published in the journal Nature.

Geologist Dr Johann Klages explained its significance to our science correspondent Jonathan Amos.

More: 'Dinosaurs walked through Antarctic rainforests'