A Future-Predicting Fossil
Around 90 million years ago, a big aquatic bird died in what is now the Canadian arctic. Called Tingmiatornis arctica, the bird looked like a blend between a cormorant and a seagull.When it was discovered in 2016, the prehistoric bird not only became one of the oldest in the northern hemisphere but also set the record straight. Scientists had always believed that heavy global warming blossomed 93.9–89.8 million years ago. Despite the roast factor, it was also thought that the Canadian arctic continued to produce seasonal ice.The fact that Tingmiatornis perched in the area makes that impossible. The bird’s features enabled it to dive for food. Ice would have prevented the species from feeding or hanging around.[1]Other fossils and soil samples showed that it lived in a very different arctic—a hot volcanic landscape populated by dinosaurs and reptiles. These volcanoes spewed enough carbon dioxide into the air to trigger a greenhouse effect. By providing a more accurate ancient ecosystem, Tingmiatornis provides a glimpse into what a future world too hot for arctic ice could look like