Fossil Forest May Sprout Again as the Arctic Warms

Fossil Forest May Sprout Again as the Arctic Warms

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A fossilized forest that flourished more than 2.5 million years ago could return to life thanks to a warming planet, scientists say. The paleo-scene won’t sprout up overnight, of course, said Alexandre Guertin-Pasquier of the University of Montreal, who will present his research at the Canadian Paleontology Conference in Toronto. Rather, he said, climate forecasts suggest that, by 2100, the now-uninhabited Bylot Island where the fossilized forest was discovered will support temperatures similar to those prevalent when the forest thrived.