An Antarctic fossil 50 years ago had pointed to Gondwanaland’s existence. The fossils’ search in Antarctica has since then lead to unearthing of many fossils. The fossils have indicated that the southern continents were once linked in a giant landmass.
On October 11, 1969 it was reported that a search for fossil evidence to find that Antarctica was once joined to other continents will be conducted in the coming years. Antarctica currently remains aloof from all the other continents in the world. The ice laden continent is inhabitable but the studies conducted pointed out that it wasn’t the case in the past.
The report said that a group of 17 people will seek fossils of ancient land vertebrates similar to those found on continents which are now separated from Antarctica. The continents that are specifically away by up to two thousand miles of ocean.
In the same year of 1969, fossil evidence of the supercontinent Gondwana was found by the researchers and the scientists of the project. The reptile bones that were found in Antarctica included a 200 million year old hippo like creature called Lystrosaurus. It was reported that the animal lived on the continental mashup comprising of South America, Africa, India, Australia and Antarctica that existed from around 600 million to 180 million years ago.
In 1970, another such Antarctic expedition found a 200 million years old skeleton of a cynodont reptile. The cynodont reptile resembled remains found in South America and India. The fossils and other such geologic expeditions and evidences confirmed the existence of Gondwana. Scientists later even concluded as how this complete continental jigsaw puzzle fits together.