Amazingly well-preserved moss and insect fossils discovered in the McMurdo Dry Valleys are providing a detailed look at Antarctica approximately 14.1 million years ago - just prior to an abrupt drop in temperature and transition from a cool tundra environment to a cold barren polar desert.

The fossils, found in ancient lake beds, are remarkable for both their degree of preservation and because their context is known after years of research in the area. In addition to the find, scientists used data from glacial geology, paleoecology, dating of volcanic ashes, and computer modeling to describe a major climate change: a cooling of 8 degrees Celsius over the relatively short time span of 200,000 years. Evidence indicates that prior to the cooling, the area was characterized by alpine glaciers, tundra, and lakes.

The National Science Foundation press release materials include images and a video interview with David Marchant, an earth scientist at Boston University and head of the international research team.