2025-10-11T15:34:07Z

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Imagine peering through a time-traveling window into a lush forest that existed 112 million years ago. Sounds like a fantasy? Well, it’s a reality as scientists have unearthed the first amber deposits in South America, teeming with preserved insects, in a quarry in Ecuador!

Published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, this groundbreaking discovery transports us back to the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, which housed a vibrant ecosystem long forgotten. This ancient amber isn't just pretty to look at—it's a time capsule revealing a world we’ve barely begun to understand.

Amber, that beautiful fossilized tree resin, has been around for hundreds of millions of years, with significant deposits emerging during the Cretaceous period, between 143.1 million and 66 million years ago. But until now, the majority of findings have mainly been from the Northern Hemisphere. What about the southern ecosystems? They’ve remained shrouded in mystery!

Led by researcher Xavier Delclòs and his team, the study zoomed in on amber and surrounding rock samples from the Genoveva quarry in Ecuador. This particular amber, dating back to around 112 million years ago, hails from the Hollín Formation, which stretches across Ecuador's Oriente Basin. The researchers identified two unique forms of amber: one formed underground, close to the roots of resin-producing plants, and another that developed in the open air. Out of 60 samples, they discovered 21 bio-inclusions belonging to five insect orders, including flies, beetles, and even a fragment of a spider web!

What’s even more fascinating is the surrounding rock, which was rich in plant fossils—spores, pollen, and other botanical traces that paint a vivid picture of what the landscape looked like. These findings suggest a warm, humid environment filled with diverse vegetation and resin-rich trees flourishing in southern Gondwana. This discovery not only sheds light on the biodiversity of the past but also offers researchers a crucial resource for understanding life during this pivotal time in our planet's history.

As we unravel the past through this ancient amber, we can only wonder: What other secrets are waiting to be uncovered, hidden within the layers of time?