Scientists uncover 16,000-year-old forest beneath the North Sea's Doggerland refuge
Scientists just found a prehistoric forest hidden beneath the North Sea, revealing that Doggerland, a land that once connected Britain to Europe, was covered in oak, elm, and hazel woods 16,000 years ago.
This discovery means Doggerland wasn't just a bridge for people and animals during the Ice Age; it was actually a thriving refuge.
Ancient DNA reveals surprising Doggerland trees
By analyzing ancient DNA from seafloor samples, researchers spotted unexpected trees like Pterocarya (thought to have been extirpated from the region 400,000 years ago) and Tilia (lime trees), appearing way earlier than anyone thought.
Turns out, parts of Doggerland stayed livable until about 7,000 years ago, so early humans may have called it home longer than we realized.
Doggerland was not just a land bridge but also a rich ecosystem. Scientists next want to understand how these lost forests fit into broader ecological reconstruction and future excavation efforts on submerged landscapes.