In a landmark paleoclimate study, scientists have discovered that fossil leaves from Nagaland’s Laisong Formation hold crucial evidence linking the growth of Antarctic ice sheets about 34 million years ago to the birth of the Indian monsoon system. The findings, published in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, suggest that Antarctica’s glaciation at the Eocene–Oligocene boundary dramatically altered global atmospheric circulation, pushing the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) northwards and triggering heavy monsoonal rainfall across northeastern India.
Researchers emphasized that just as Antarctic ice shaped ancient monsoon patterns, today’s rapid ice loss due to climate change could destabilize the modern Indian monsoon—critical for agriculture and water security across South Asia. “This study shows how interconnected Earth’s climate systems are—events at the South Pole can drastically reshape rainfall in South Asia,” the authors noted.
The discovery not only rewrites the origin story of the monsoon but also serves as a warning of how future Antarctic melting could disrupt millions of lives dependent on monsoon rains.